Reward Offered in Mother’s Day Slaying

City officials announced a $25,000 reward Thursday for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killers of a 20-year-old man who was stabbed on Mother’s Day outside a hot dog stand.

“I can’t imagine any greater pain to a mother than a son who goes out to get something to eat and doesn’t come home,” said Councilman Joel Wachs. “This is an act of cowards and of all days it was Mother’s Day.”

Steven Cory Redden and a 17-year-old friend were standing in front of a restaurant in the 5100 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard at about 6 p.m. on May 10 when two assailants asked their gang affiliation and an altercation ensued, said Det. Ron Vega of the LAPD North Hollywood station.

During the fight one of the assailants pulled out what police believe was a knife and stabbed Redden in the chest, Vega said.

Redden ran across the street and collapsed in front of a gas station on the southeast corner of Magnolia Boulevard and Laurel Canyon, Vega said. He was taken to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

According to the detective, the two assailants, who fled in a red Pontiac Fiero, are believed to be gang members. Redden and his friend were not gang members, Vega said.

Saying they believe they know who the two men are, investigators released sketches of the assailants in an effort to collect further evidence.

Investigators described both suspects as male Latinos in their 20s.

“My son’s life was taken by a horrible act of violence,” said the victim’s mother, Lorraine Redden. “We need to get this person off the street before he takes another person’s life.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD North Hollywood Division at (818) 623-4071 during the day or (818) 623-4016 during the evening.