Glendale Grandfather Beaten To Death In Possible Home Invasion
GLENDALE (CBSLA.com) — Police are searching for a possible home invasion suspect who fatally beat an 84-year-old Glendale man early Monday morning.
The incident happened at an apartment complex in the 1800 block of Glenoaks Boulevard.
The victim's grandson heard commotion in the residence around 5:30 a.m. before finding his grandfather — identified by friends as Ruben Sanchez — severely beaten and badly bleeding.
"There did not appear to be any evidence of a shooting at this particular location," Glendale police Sgt. Thomas Lorenz said. "The residence does appear to be ransacked [and] that's what makes us believe it was a burglary or home invasion gone bad."
The victim was taken to County-USC Medical Center, where he later died.
"We don't see any evidence of forced entry into the location, but we do know he takes early morning walks, according to the family. We don't know if he was followed home or if he left a door or window open," Lorenz said.
Jose Valle told CBS2's Jeff Nguyen that he was a longtime friend of the victim.
"I don't know who can hurt an old man like that. A good guy," he said. "What reason...he [didn't] have any money. He got along very well with everybody, he had a lot of friends."
Valle added that Sanchez was mugged just a few weeks ago while walking near his home.
"Somebody grabbed him from the back and dropped him to the floor. And he got a bruise in the leg," he said.
Valle, however, said Sanchez didn't report the mugging.
Anyone who saw or heard anything around the time of the crime was asked to contact Glendale police.
