Police are asking the public for help in their search for a man suspected in a killing and a kidnapping in North Hollywood over the weekend.
Officers responded to a shooting investigation about 2:25 p.m. Sunday in the 11300 block of Hatteras Street, the Los Angeles Police Department stated in a news release.
The investigation revealed the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Shane Winfield Rayment, was involved in a dispute with his ex-girlfriend when a man attempted to intervene.
Rayment allegedly pulled out a gun and fatally shot the man, identified as Roberto Fletes, 42, of North Hollywood.
Rayment then forced ex-girlfriend Jenny Downes into a vehicle and fled the scene with her, the Police Department stated.
Rayment was described as having blonde hair and blue eyes. He stands 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighs about 235 pounds.
Police released a Crime Alert with images of Rayment and Downes, 31, who is still missing.
Rayment was accompanied by four additional suspects who fled in the vehicle with him, the Police Department stated.
A second suspect was described as a 30-year-old white man with long blond hair and blue eyes. He stands 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs about 170 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black shirt and blue jeans.
Another three suspects were only described as white females.
The suspects fled in a four-door green truck, possibly a Dodge RAM, according to the Police Department.
While police continued their search for the assailants, family and friends on Monday afternoon came together to honor Fletes and say goodbye to the man they loved. They paid their respects throughout the day, lighting candles, leaving balloons and playing his favorite music.
“He had love for everybody. He was kind,” said Claudia Gonzalez, his sister. “He would give you the shirt off his back, the last $20 he had in his pocket, or $1. If you needed it, he’d give it to you.”
Gonzalez told KTLA that stepping in to help someone in need was exactly the kind of thing her brother would do.
“I wasn’t surprised,” she said. “He was always helping somebody. … He was just great.”
As they mourn their loved one, Fletes’ family is also asking for the public’s help in locating the perpetrators.
“We just need the community to come together and kind of come forward,” Gonzalez said. “We would really appreciate it as a family that … if you can just help us take care of this for us please.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Gutierrez at 818-374-1923 or 818-374-1928. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.