NORTH HOLLYWOOD : Man Arrested in Slaying of Friend

A North Hollywood man stabbed his friend to death Friday morning after the two had an argument in the suspect’s apartment while his wife and three small children slept in another room, Los Angeles police said.

Joseph Garcia, 24, was arrested about four hours after the attack at a nearby convenience store, said LAPD Detective Mike Coffey. During the morning, Garcia phoned his apartment and talked to police several times before he told them where he was, Coffey said.

The incident began about 6:30 a.m. at the Kona Isle Apartments, 5650 N. Fair Ave., when Garcia began arguing with his friend, Roque Villalobos, 25.

While investigators do not know why the men were fighting, the argument apparently escalated, and Garcia stabbed Villalobos several times in the chest with a knife, Coffey said. Villalobos died at the scene, police said.

Afterward, detectives said, Garcia ran from the house but later turned himself in at a convenience store at Oxnard Street and Laurel Canyon Boulevard.

Ardy Bojko, the apartment manager, said Garcia is married and has three small children, including a baby about 3 months old.

On Friday afternoon, residents of the building described Garcia as a good neighbor. “He was always working on his car and asking people if they needed help on their cars,” said Dolores King, who lives two doors down. “He was friendly, but not overly so.”