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 archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Suspect arrested in Hawthorne double murder
A man accused of killing a Hawthorne couple, and also suspected in a fatal home invasion robbery in that city, was in custody today on $1 million bail pending his first court appearance tomorrow.
John Wesley Ewell, 53, was arrested Saturday and booked on suspicion of murdering Robyn Turnage, 57, and her husband Leamond Turnage, 69.
They were found dead about 3:45 p.m. Friday in their home in the 4100 block of West 142nd Street.
Sheriff's Lt. Dave Coleman said the victims were beaten and strangled after returning to the Southland from a trip to Florida to visit their son and daughter-in-law for the birth of their first grandchild.
Ewell is also suspected in a home-invasion robbery last month in which an 80-year-old man died of a heart attack, according to sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.
A $10,000 reward was recently offered for information leading to a conviction in the death of Hanna Morcos, a retired county employee who was attacked in his home in the 4100 block of West 137th Street about 3:40 p.m. on Sept. 24. His wife was in the house, but was uninjured.
Ewell was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday at the Airport Courthouse.
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
