Police have now identified a man shot and killed Monday evening on an urban hillside in Echo Park. They also have information that may lead them to a suspect in the killing.
The victim is Ivan Meza Pedroza, 33, who, according to several who knew him, attended John Marshall High School and was a basketball star there.
They also said he was a father of several children and grew up in the area.
Police still say they still don't know what motivated the killing, but on Wednesday afternoon they did release additional details about what happened.
Pedroza and another man apparently walked up the 2100 block of Bellevue Avenue, where they met up with a third man, "Chucky."
According to the LAPD news release, Pedroza and the shooter began talking and "moments later the suspect took out a handgun and shot Pedroza."
Police discovered Pedroza's body near several tents and mattresses on the hillside just above the cul-de-sac there Monday evening.
By Wednesday morning, a make-shift shrine of flowers, candles, hand-written notes and a cupcake had popped up on the hillside.
Echo Park-Silver Lake Patch talked to several visitors who had driven down the cul-de-sac to pay their respects there.
They seemed deeply saddened at the news about "Ivan," who they remembered as popular and attractive athlete who had fallen on harder times.
Noted one commenter on Echo Park-Silver Lake Patch Tuesday:
I will remember your love for your kids, your mom, the beach, basketball [and] when you'd play at Silverlake Reservoir, your cooking, your motorcyle, your good looks [and] charm. You were calm [and] no harshness about you.
Said another friend on our Facebook page:
We were in the same church youth group at Angelus Temple. He was someone to look up to and certainly worth knowing. There's a whole community of people whose lives he touched.
Police urge anyone with more information about what happened to call Rampart Detective Julian Pere at (213) 484-3638.
Echo Park-Silver Lake Patch is following this story and will keep you posted.
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