Man Dies in Valentine Day Confrontation

First, Charles Edward Lovinggood lost his love. Then, on Valentine’s Day, he lost his life.

On Monday, just 20 minutes into the most sentimental of days, Lovinggood, 45, of Reseda, telephoned his estranged wife, Marilyn Eileen Lovinggood, also 45, and--on learning another man was living at her West Hills home--threatened to pay them a visit, Los Angeles police said.

When Charles Lovinggood carried out that threat, he got into a fight with the other man, who punched him twice in the head. Lovinggood died after his head struck the slate tile floor of the house, police said.

Detectives said Lovinggood’s jealousy was for naught, because Harold Steven Cartrett, 29, is just a friend of Marilyn Lovinggood’s. He had been living at her three-bedroom house for about a month because his own home was damaged during the earthquake.

“It’s a real shame,” said Detective Rick Swanston. “There seems to have been a lot of misunderstandings here.”

Charges have not been filed against Cartrett because police said the killing appears to have been justifiable. Swanston said Lovinggood had assaulted his estranged wife moments before Cartrett punched him.

The incident began after Charles Lovinggood, who had been separated from Marilyn for nearly a year, phoned to say he planned to forcibly enter her home, police said.

“He was angry and said he was going to find out who was living there with her. . . . He said he was going to pound the door down,” Swanston said.

The door was unlocked when Charles Lovinggood arrived 10 minutes later because Cartrett, Marilyn Lovinggood and Marilyn’s 14-year-old daughter had just arrived home when they received his call and they forgot to lock the door.

Cartrett had, however, thought to arm himself with a .22-caliber rifle, and he ordered Charles Lovinggood to leave the house, Swanston said.

Instead, Lovinggood grabbed his estranged wife and “began shaking her violently,” Swanston said.

Cartrett put down the rifle, separated the two and slugged Charles Lovinggood twice in the face. After the second blow, Lovinggood fell to the floor and hit his head, police said.

He lost consciousness and was pronounced dead by paramedics at 12:51 a.m.

An investigation into Cartrett’s actions continues, Swanston said.