Compton man charged in death, backyard burial of teenage girlfriend

A 22-year-old Compton man was charged Friday on suspicion of killing of his girlfriend and burying her body in the backyard of the family’s home, Los Angeles County prosecutors said.

A family member of Devion Keith Anderson called 911 on Monday night to say Anderson may have killed and buried his 18-year-old girlfriend, according to the district attorney’s office.

L.A. County Sheriff’s Department deputies found freshly dug dirt in the backyard and eventually pulled out a body.

Anderson was arrested early Tuesday. On Friday, his arraignment was postponed until Jan. 17.

Authorities have withheld the victim’s name until her next of kin can be reached. An autopsy is pending, Deputy Dist. Atty. Jodi Link said.

If convicted, Anderson faces a possible 25 years to life in prison on a murder charge with a special allegation that it was committed willfully, deliberately and with premeditation. He’s being held in lieu of $1-million bail after a judge denied a request for it to be reduced.

Authorities haven’t determined what sparked the alleged slaying or how it was committed, Link said.

The death is the 33rd homicide this year in Compton; the city’s annual average since 2007 is 31, according to the Times’ Homicide Report database. Compton, whose population of nearly 100,000 represents about 1% of L.A. County, has accounted for about 6% of the county’s more than 560 homicides this year.

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paresh.dave@latimes.com