A federal judge overturned several charges in the case of Arcadia man George Torres, 52, accused of running his Numero Uno grocery store chain in Los Angeles like an organized crime ring. He had been convicted of racketeering charges, solicitation of murder and multiple tax and fraud charges when prosecutors came forward with new evidence that appeared to exonerate him on the more serious charges. Torres was released from federal custody after being held without bail for two years.
Levels of reported crime in most San Gabriel Valley cities are significantly lower than national levels, according to the FBI's 2001 National Crime Index. A chart shows statistics for Arcadia.
Rumor's bar owner Scott Hammond shot and killed a suspect trying to break into his bar located at 48 E. Huntington Drive. Separately, the merchant of AM Donuts on Las Tunas wounded one of two suspects trying to rob his store.
George Torres, of Arcadia, was convicted of 55 felony counts, including racketeering, "honest services" mail fraud, and wire fraud, conspiring to harbor illegal immigrants and tax charges. The jury also found that Torres solicited the 1994 murder of a gang member who demanded a "tax" from a Numero Uno Market. George Torres owned eleven Numero Uno grocery stores in some of the region's poorest neighborhoods.
Two bank robberies in the past three weeks are believed to have been committed by the same suspect. In both cases, the robber wore a blonde wig under a dark baseball cap, carried a manila envelope and said, "Hurry up" to tellers. He displays a handgun under his shift and is a white man in his 30s or 40s, of average height and weight.
Richard Robert Russo, convicted in the murder of his wife Carmen, hanged himself with a bedsheet in his cell at Wasco State Prison. He died Sunday, October 15, 2006.
Richard Robert Russo pleads not guilty to charges of murder and child abuse and the judge denies his motion for bail. He is accused of shooting his wife Carmen.
Stockbroker Richard Robert Russo will stand trial for the murder of his wife Carmen. She was found shot to death in the couple's exclusive Santa Anita Oaks home in August.
A murder charge has been filed against Isaac J. Campbell, 32, of San Gabriel, a suspect in the murder of his girlfriend Liya "Jessie" Lu. He is currently at large. Her body was found in a trashcan on Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia.
A Rottweiler that lives on Singing Wood Drive attacked and fatally injured a terrier on Fallen Leaf Road as the owner was walking his dog. A police investigation in underway.
Isaac Campbell, suspect in the murder of his girlfriend Liya Lu, has been extradited from Minnesota and will face charges here. He is being held at Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles.
Arcadia stockbroker Richard Robert Russo was found guilty of first-degree murder for killing his wife Carmen one year ago. He faces 50 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
County officials are offering a $20,000 reward for information in the slaying of Jason Wei, an Arcadia restaurant owner. He was held up and shot at his Osaka Ya Restaurant on November 25, 2007.