$25,000 Reward Posted in Drive-Up Shooting

A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the Mother’s Day slaying of a 20-year-old man who was driving a friend home from a party, city officials said Monday.

“The irony in this situation is that Luis Lara was trying to do a good deed for a friend,” said Councilman Richard Alarcon.

Early May 10, Lara received a phone call from a friend at a party who said he was too drunk to drive, said Rocky Sherwood, a homicide detective with the LAPD’s North Hollywood Division.

Sherwood said that after Lara picked up the friend, he was driving west on Sherman Way and stopped at a light at Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Another car pulled along the driver’s side of Lara’s car and someone opened fire, Sherwood said.

Police said Lara was hit three times in the upper torso and died instantly. The friend suffered a single gunshot wound to the upper left arm.

Although a video recording from a security camera at a business across the street showed there were witnesses, none have come forward to help police.

Family members pleaded Monday for those with information to help.

“The only thing we want is justice,” said Lara’s aunt, Lilian Consuegra. “We want to finally have some peace.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD North Hollywood Division at (818) 623-4075.