Man Killed in Apparently Unprovoked Knife Attack

A 39-year-old man was killed and a friend seriously wounded in an apparently unprovoked knife attack on a residential street in Boyle Heights, police said Wednesday.

Three men confronted Richard Cuevas, 39, of Los Angeles and a companion as they walked near Brooklyn Avenue and Fickett Street about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. One of them pulled out a large knife and stabbed the pair numerous times, Detective John Spreitzer said.

Cuevas and Henry Abitia, 42, of Los Angeles, were taken to County-USC Medical Center, where Cuevas died 1 1/2 hours later. Abitia was in serious but stable condition. Spreitzer said the suspects made no attempt to rob the victims. There was no gang-related exchange before the attack, but the detective would not rule out the possibility of gang links. The attack, Spreitzer said, was apparently unprovoked.