One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Funeral Held Today for Slain 19-Year-Old Explorer Volunteer
Photo by denisetaylor☼ via the LAist Featured Photos pool
Funeral services are being held this morning for 19-year-old Cesar Rodriguez, a volunteer with the L.A. County Sheriff Department's Explorer program, reports the Daily News.
Rodriguez was killed at about 3:30 a.m. on August 28. He and a friend were standing outside a residence in Whittier when a gray Scion pulled up and the driver fired several shots from a handgun, striking the two men. Both Rodriguez and his friend, 24-year-old Larry Villegas, died at the scene.
L.A. Now reported at the time that it was unclear what the motivation for the killing was, and arrests have still not been made in connection to the shooting.
The Explorer program is set up to introduce interested young people to a career in law enforcement. Rodriguez had been part of the program for four years, and hoped to become a deputy. He would have been eligible when he turned 20.
Funeral services began at 9:00 a.m. at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
