A suspect in custody for the grisly murder that rattled an upscale Valley Village apartment complex in April has now been linked to two additional violent crimes dating back to 2022, police confirm.
A source with the Los Angeles Police Department told KTLA on Wednesday that further evidence indicates the suspect, 27-year-old Erick Escamilla, is responsible for a 2022 attempted murder in San Fernando and the brutal stabbing and fire death of an 81-year-old woman in Woodland Hills.
Valley Village murder investigation sparks community outrage
Escamilla was arrested in early May following a nearly two-week manhunt after 53-year-old Menashe “Manny” Hidra was found dead inside his apartment on April 26 — which, according to neighbors and dispatch audio, likely occurred three days after he was killed.
Residents reported hearing screams and loud crashing noises around 3 a.m. on April 23, coming from unit 514 on the top floor of the Ashton Sherman Village Apartments in the 12600 block of Riverside Drive. In audio obtained by KTLA, an LAPD dispatcher can be heard relaying similar reports to officers around that time.
Investigators say Escamilla broke into the building through a skylight, traversed between balconies, and forced his way into Hidra’s apartment, where a deadly physical altercation took place. Authorities say Escamilla used a screwdriver in the attack.
As the murder investigation unfolded, photos of the bloody crime scene and chilling surveillance footage surfaced, further alarming residents. The home security video appeared to show Escamilla roaming the hallways, attempting to break into multiple units shortly before the attack.
Tenants at the high-end complex have since expressed anger toward building management, citing ongoing security concerns that predated the murder. Several break-ins were reported even after the killing.
Suspect linked to brutal Woodland Hills killing of 81-year-old woman
Escamilla is now also suspected in the 2022 murder of 81-year-old Ok Ja Kim, whose body was found on Aug. 2 after a fire broke out at her home in the 20800 block of West Martha Street in Woodland Hills. Authorities said she had been stabbed, strangled and set on fire, and her charred body was discovered wedged beneath her bed.
Investigators believe someone forced their way into Kim’s home, ransacked it and killed her.
“I have worked many years in homicide and even more than that investigating violent crime, and I can honestly say that in my entire career I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a senseless and brutal act of murder,” LAPD Detective Sharon Kim said during a news conference.
Kim’s daughter, Clara Kim, spoke publicly after her mother’s death, urging the public to help solve the case. “This could have been anyone’s family. This could have been your mom, this could have been your dad,” she said. Clara described her mother as selfless and said her family has been “paralyzed” by the loss. “Still to this day we wake up and we think this is still a dream.”
At the time, LAPD announced a $50,000 reward for information in the case and asked anyone with surveillance footage or knowledge of the incident to come forward.
DA adds 2022 cases to Valley Village murder suspect’s file
The Woodland Hills murder and the San Fernando attempted murder have both been formally filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and added to the charges Escamilla already faces in the Valley Village case. Police have not released further details about the San Fernando incident.
On May 9, the DA’s office announced that Escamilla had been charged with one count of murder, with the special circumstance allegation that the killing was committed during a burglary.
He also faced one felony count of first-degree residential burglary. If convicted as charged, Escamilla faces death or life in state prison without the possibility of parole. A decision on whether to seek the death penalty will be made at a later date.
However, officials have not said how the additional charges could impact Escamilla’s potential sentence.
Anyone with information about the investigation is urged to contact LAPD’s Valley Bureau Homicide at 818-374-9550. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.
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