The Region : Elderly Man Found Shot to Death in Park

A shabby, elderly man was found shot to death in Lynwood’s Athens Park, but authorities said they do not know if his slaying was tied to a serial killer who preys on downtown transients. The body was found in the northeast section of the park shortly after dawn, and neighbors recalled hearing what might have been a gunshot in the area between midnight and 1:45 a.m. No weapon was found, no suspects were in custody and the victim was not immediately identified. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Dave Hogan said homicide investigators are not sure whether the killing was connected to a gunman suspected of slaying four transients in recent weeks as they slept in downtown Los Angeles. Three recent murders elsewhere in the city are also under investigation for possible links to the downtown slayings, Los Angeles police said.