Slaying Becomes a Mystery Teacher Might Have Liked
Hal Arthur, the Grant High School teacher who was ambushed and shot to death as he was leaving his Sherman Oaks home for school early Friday, was fascinated by books about crime and mysteries.
His own slaying--a seemingly precise, well-planned assassination--has presented police with the sort of mystery that might have been spun by his favorite crime fiction writers: Why would a popular high school teacher become a target for murder?
Police officials said Saturday that they have no leads in the case and no evidence to suggest that any of the 3,100 students at Grant were involved.
Friends say that Arthur, who owned the complete works of crime writers such as Joseph Wambaugh, had no known enemies.
Arthur, 60, was attacked at about 6 a.m. Friday, moments after he opened the door of his car parked in front of his home in the 13900 block of Milbank Street, police said.
There will be a memorial service at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Temple Beth Hillel in North Hollywood.
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