Cell Phone Calls May Be Clues in Irvine Shooting

Police are investigating whether two cell phone calls placed to Biofem Inc. by a suspected getaway driver just before an executive was shot were fielded by the executive’s partner.

Police Lt. Sam Allevato said the phone records are one reason police consider Dr. Larry C. Ford a possible suspect in the shooting of his partner, James Patrick Riley.

Ford was in the Biofem office the morning of Feb. 28 when Riley was shot in the face as he walked to the building, Allevato said. Ford administered first aid to him.

Riley is recovering. Ford shot himself to death three days later, leaving a suicide note asserting his innocence.

Ford was a longtime friend of Dino D’Saachs, who has been charged with driving the unidentified gunman from the crime scene. Although police said they do not consider other Biofem employees potential suspects, investigators remain unsure why D’Saachs called the firm and to whom he spoke.

“He could have been calling Biofem to see when Mr. Riley was going to show up . . . though it does seem like some kind of conspiracy,” Allevato said.