Relative arrested in beating death of 84-year-old Glendale man
A 22-year-old man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of beating an 84-year-old relative to death in his Glendale apartment early Monday, police said.
James Adrian Sanchez was arrested in connection with the beating death of Ruben Sanchez, who was identified by the L.A. County coroner’s office.
Ruben Sanchez lived alone on the first floor of the apartment building; his family lives on the second floor, the Glendale News-Press reported. The exact relationship between the two men was not immediately clear, although police said James Sanchez was found in El Cajon near San Diego and did not live with the family.
Around 5:30 a.m. on Monday, an unidentified relative of Ruben Sanchez called 911 and reported that their grandfather may have suffered a gunshot wound and was bleeding profusely inside his apartment in the 1800 block of West Glenoaks Boulevard, Glendale police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.
Police arrived and found no evidence of a shooting, but discovered Sanchez had been beaten in what they initially thought was a burglary.
Sanchez was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where he later died, police said.
It was the first reportable homicide in Glendale since 2009.
Lorenz said the arrest of a family member should quell concerns that the attack was random or a targeted burglary.
“I think realizing it’s a family issue and not a stranger danger puts people at ease,” he said.
James Sanchez was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.
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Twitter: @VeronicaRochaLA
Twitter: @LAMarkKellam
Mark Kellam and Veronica Rocha are Times Community News staff writers.
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