Rewards Offered in 2 Unsolved Slayings

The City Council this week approved offering $10,000 rewards in two unsolved homicides, including the 1992 slaying of a 15-year-old boy that occurred on the first night of the Los Angeles riots, city officials said.

“We’ve had rewards earlier, but we’ve never had any leads or any informants come forward on this case,” said San Fernando Police Lt. Robert Ordelheide of the April 29, 1992 killing of Edward Travens, a 15-year-old continuation school student. “We’re hoping someone will come forward if we offer the reward another time.”

Edward, of Mission Hills, was riding in a car with two friends when a pedestrian approached the vehicle at San Fernando Mission Boulevard and San Fernando Road. According to witnesses, the assailant asked the teenager and his friends where they lived. After they answered, the man fired several shots and fled. Edward was hit several times. No one else was injured.

The second reward involves the Oct. 9, 1997 slaying of Robert Torres, 35, of San Fernando. Police have named Ernesto Perez Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican national unrelated to the victim, as the suspect in that case.

Perez Torres, a gang member on parole for assault with a deadly weapon and spousal abuse at the time of the killing, mistakenly connected Robert Torres to another gang-related slaying, police said.

“This is a really good case,” Ordelheide said Thursday. “Through statements and physical evidence we have this guy completely identified.

“You’d think somebody out there could use the money and would come forward to help us catch him.”

Both rewards require information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the crimes, officials said. They will be in effect until April 20.

Anyone with information should call Det. Lance Steaman at (818) 898-1286.