A 27-year-old man arrested in the killing of a Valley Village resident entered the victim's apartment through the skylight of a vacant unit at the San Fernando Valley residential complex, police said Friday.
Erick Escamilla, 27, was arrested Thursday at a hospital in connection with the killing of 53-year-old Menashe Hidra, who was also known as Manny. Details about why Escamilla was hospitalized were not immediately available.
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The killing happened around 3 a.m. April 23, but Hidra's body was not found until 2:30 p.m. April 26 when police made a welfare check at the apartment in the 12600 block of Riverside Drive. LAPD officers who originally responded to reports of fight inside Hidra's fifth-floor apartment on April 23 did not discover the body because they received no response to a knock on the door and they did not enter the apartment.
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SIGN UP "I want to acknowledge that there are questions surrounding the initial police response to the incident," LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said during a Friday news conference. "The Los Angeles Police Department is aware of these circumstances and we've initiated an internal administrative investigation to examine all facets of that. We're unable to comment or provide details at this time since the investigation is ongoing."
Escamilla somehow accessed the roof of the apartment building and used a skylight to enter the apartment next door to Hidra's unit. Escamilla then climbed from the balcony of the vacant unit to the one attached to Hidra's apartment and went inside, leading to a confrontation.
Escamilla was charged Thursday with murder and residential burglary. The murder charge includes a special circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of a burglary, along with allegations that he personally used a screwdriver in attacking the victim and that he has a prior strike for a residential burglary.
It was unclear how long Escamilla has been hospitalized. Escamilla remained hospitalized as of Friday, according to LAPD homicide Lt. Guy Golan.
"I cannot comment specifically on his condition, however, he is currently receiving medical treatment," Golan said. "We are currently in the process of absentee booking Escamilla. When deemed appropriate by medical personnel, he will be discharged from the hospital and later presented for arraignment."
In a statement, LA District Attorney Nathan Hochman wrote:
“No one should have to endure the terror of someone breaking into their home, where people feel the safest and being brutally murdered. Crimes like this shake our collective sense of security. We will seek justice for the victim’s family and ensure accountability for the person responsible for this vicious crime.”
Anyone with information regarding the killing was urged to call Valley Bureau homicide detectives at 818-374-9550. Calls during non-business hours should be made to 877-527-3247. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.
