Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies say suspect arrested in West Hollywood triple homicide

Suspect arrested in West Hollywood triple homicide

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles man suspected of shooting three men to death in a West Hollywood apartment was arrested by sheriff’s investigators during a traffic stop Monday, authorities said.

Investigators believe Harold Yong Park stole “multiple pounds” of marijuana from the victims, who were buying pot from recognized marijuana collectives, then selling it, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Pat Nelson said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

Detectives found the vehicle driven by Harold Yong Park using a patrol car with an automated license plate recognition system, Nelson said.

Park, 31, had multiple pounds of marijuana at the time of his arrest in Lomita, about 20 miles south of West Hollywood, Nelson said.

Detectives were investigating Park’s connection to the victims and the motive for the killings, but they believe robbery was involved, he said.

“Any time a significant amount of drugs and/or money are involved, then the likelihood for robberies and related crime are going to increase,” Nelson said.

Nelson said detectives found Park through “advanced as well as old-fashioned miscellaneous investigative techniques,” but declined to elaborate on how they identified Park as a suspect and connected him to his vehicle.

Investigators think Park acted alone and weren’t looking for any other suspects.

The three victims, brothers Pirooz and Shahriar Moussazadeh and Bernard Khalili, were killed Thursday night in the apartment where two of them lived. All three victims were members of the Iranian Jewish community and moved to the U.S. as young children.

Neighbors heard shots and the apartment manager found the apartment door open and a body inside.

Park was first booked for possessing marijuana for sale. After detectives interviewed him at a station, he was booked for murder. He is being held without bail.

Veronica Lozano, 20, of La Habra was also charged with possession for sales of marijuana.