Suspect sought in acid attack on South L.A. woman

Authorities pleaded for the public’s help Wednesday in capturing a 30-year-old reputed gang member who police say poured acid on his girlfriend to “teach her a lesson” in a savage Halloween night attack in South Los Angeles.

The woman, who police say was raped, beaten and tortured, survived the attack but was hospitalized.

Investigators identified the suspect as Miguel Angel Herrera, a documented gang member. Herrera allegedly tied up his girlfriend, then raped, stabbed, punched and struck her with an electrical cord because she had shown up at his apartment late.

Capt. Art Miller of the Los Angeles Police Department described the Oct. 31 incident in the 1100 block of 41st Place as being vicious.

“And the most brutal of all is that he poured acid on her face, body, and tried to make her drink it too . . . to teach her a lesson,” Miller said.

Det. Eloy Ochoa said the attack was triggered by anger and jealousy.

“He kept accusing her of, perhaps, being with other men and that that was the reason why she was late,” Ochoa said.

At one point, police said, Herrera released his girlfriend and followed her home in his truck so that she could drop off her vehicle.

Instead, the woman eluded Herrera and drove to her family’s home, where a relative took her to a nearby police station to report the assault, police said.

“This underscores the need for people to report every single incident of domestic violence and support each other when faced with situations like this one,” said Councilwoman Jan Perry, whose district includes the area where the attack occurred.

Herrera was last seen driving a red 2005 Nissan Titan pickup with the California license plate 8K55469. Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD’s Southwest Division at (213) 485-2585.

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ruben.vives@latimes.com