Dementia patient beaten, set on fire and killed in downtown L.A., prosecutors say
This is read by an automated voice.Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
A wandering dementia patient died Monday after a homeless man in downtown Los Angeles punched and kicked him in the head, slammed him to the ground and set him on fire, prosecutors said Thursday.Bang Cho, 84, died in a hospital the day after the assault.
The suspect, Lavonta Wilder, 40, has been charged with murder.“This case involves an elderly man who was disoriented and living with dementia, conditions that made him particularly vulnerable,” Los Angeles County Dist.
Atty.Nathan Hochman said in a statement.
“The level of violence alleged here is brutal, callous and extreme.”Cho was downtown after walking off from a convalescent home around 11:55 p.m.on Sunday when he grabbed a bag that Wilder was holding.
Wilder, who is unhoused and weighs 240 pounds, “viciously” punched and kicked Cho’s head and body, lifted him over his shoulder and slammed him to the ground and then set him on fire, the office said.Cho died at a hospital the following day.
Wilder was arrested near the scene.If convicted, Wilder could face life in prison.
He is being held at the Men’s Central Jail in lieu of $2-million bail.He is scheduled for arraignment on May 21.
Records show that Wilder has multiple felony convictions for violent crimes, including for assault with a deadly weapon in L.A.County in 2019; for injuring a cohabitant, partner or child’s parent in 2014 in San Bernardino County; and for assault in 2012, also in San Bernardino County.
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, which include arbitration and a class action waiver.
You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy such as personalizing your experience and ads.Follow UsFedor ...