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Inglewood Police Arrest Two Suspects in Catalytic Converter Murder Case
During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, officials provided new details on the arrest of two suspects connected to the murder of Juan Sanchez, who was killed during a catalytic converter theft.
Councilmember Alex Padilla acknowledged the swift work of the Inglewood Police Department (IPD), stating, “We were confident this investigation would be successful.” He confirmed that detectives apprehended the suspects just days ago.
Mayor James T. Butts shared additional insight into the operation, explaining that one suspect attempted to hide inside a building and had to be extracted by the SWAT team. “This is why we don’t immediately offer rewards in violent crime cases,” Butts noted. “It can taint the investigative process. Our police department did it the right way, conducting surveillance and ensuring the right suspects were brought into custody.”
The Sanchez family, who attended last week’s meeting seeking justice, was absent today as they were at the courthouse for the arraignment of the suspects. Council members expressed their continued support for the family and gratitude toward law enforcement.
Council Received and Filed First Quarter Budget Report
The Council also received and filed the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 First Quarter Budget Review Report, which provides an overview of city finances and expenditure trends.
The report detailed that General Fund revenues totaled $35.7 million through the first quarter, representing 15.6% of the projected $228.2 million budget. Property tax collections showed a slight increase, while sales tax revenue came in significantly lower than the same period last year due to an accounting adjustment. Admissions tax revenue, largely driven by entertainment venues like SoFi Stadium, surged by nearly 900% compared to last year due to new agreements with the city.
On the expenditure side, the city spent $47.0 million in the first quarter, accounting for 20.6% of the total budgeted expenses. Notably, spending in the Police and Fire departments increased by 6.8% compared to last year, largely due to higher personnel and operational costs. Additionally, capital improvement projects saw $2.4 million spent in the first quarter, reflecting ongoing infrastructure investments.
Despite some fluctuations, city officials assured that the budget remains on track, with the use of General Fund reserves available to balance any shortfalls.
