Reseda Woman Found Beaten to Death; Police Arrest Roommate

Los Angeles police arrested a Reseda painting contractor Saturday in the beating death of his female roommate after officers were summoned by a frantic early morning telephone call for help from a second woman living in the house, police said.

Frank LaSelle, 46, was being held without bail on suspicion of murder, said Officer Glenda Lombardo of the West Valley Station. LaSelle allegedly used a two-foot table leg to bludgeon Kathleen Masewicz, 51, who was found dead about 1:45 a.m. Saturday in her bedroom at the house in the 18600 block of Covello Street.

Officers arrested LaSelle without incident in the living room.

Police went to the residence after the second woman called the 911 emergency line and screamed for help. She told police that LaSelle had burst into Masewicz’s bedroom and was beating the victim, according to Sgt. Dan Hoffman.

Detectives had not established a motive for the killing or whether there was a romantic relationship between LaSelle and Masewicz, who were described as roommates, Hoffman said. He said the unidentified second roommate, who was not injured, had recently moved in with LaSelle and Masewicz.