Northridge : Private Investigator in Celebrity Cases Is Slain

A private investigator offered a $10,000 reward Wednesday for information leading to a conviction of the person who gunned down his partner in Northridge on Tuesday night.

LAPD Devonshire Division police, responding to a call on Rayen Street about 9:20 p.m. Tuesday, found Steven McLean’s body inside the home of a friend. Police said the friend, whom they would not name, called from a cellular phone while hiding in a closet.

Det. Al Aldaz said McLean died from gunshot wounds to his upper torso.

“A possible motive in this case is robbery,” said Aldaz. “But we are still speculating on other possibilities.” Police would not comment on suspects.

McLean’s business partner, John L. Grogan, director of Gold Star Investigations in Canoga Park, offered the reward in connection with the shooting.

Grogan said he and McLean had worked together on numerous celebrity cases. Grogan said it’s possible that McLean’s death could be linked to one of their cases.

“Every time we work on one of these cases, we get threatened,” Grogan said.

McLean, 32, had been a private detective at Gold Star for 10 years, Grogan said, and also operated his own private investigating company, McLean & Associates, in Tarzana.

Grogan said McLean was a large, burly man about 6 feet in height and 300 pounds.

“He was just a giant teddy bear. And I want to know who killed him,” said Grogan.

McLean is survived by his wife, Kimberley, and three children, Sabrina, 4, Willie, 2, and Bobby, 6 months.