Fire Reveals Evidence of Ritual Sacrifice
A fire that destroyed the rear of a Lawndale home Friday uncovered altars, animal parts and other evidence of apparent ritual sacrifice, authorities said. The fire in the 5100 block of West 134th Street broke out shortly before 10 a.m. It took 20 firefighters about 30 minutes to extinguish the flames, County Fire Inspector Ed Gandara said.
The damage, which was confined to the rear of the one-story structure, was estimated at $50,000. The cause of the blaze was still under investigation. The occupants were not home at the time.
Authorities found altars, incense, horse tails and animal feces in and around the house and pigeon coops in the back yard, which led them to speculate that animal sacrifices may have been practiced there.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
