Torrance Man Arrested in Slaying

A 19-year-old Torrance man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of murdering another city resident who was found shot to death in his car on a residential street earlier in the day, authorities said.

About 7:30 a.m., residents of the 2500 block of 178th Street told police that they heard gunshots and ran outside to discover Mark Allyn Smith, 24, slumped in a car.

Torrance Police Sgt. Kevin Kreeger said officers then received calls about a man prowling through backyards in the same area. Detectives cordoned off a three-block area and, with the assistance of a canine unit, eventually found Randolph Allan Monteiro II hiding in a garage.

Monteiro was arrested in connection with the shooting and was being held without bail in the Torrance jail until charges are filed. Investigators said they do not yet know a motive for the shooting. They are awaiting autopsy results and are looking for the weapon used in the shooting.

The victim’s uncle, William Smith, said the family was in shock Wednesday upon hearing about the killing. “We don’t know anything,” Smith said. “We’re just trying to figure out what happened.”

Smith said his nephew grew up in Torrance and was working two jobs as well as attending classes at El Camino College.

“He was a real hard worker. He was working for Kellogg’s, arranging their displays at supermarkets,” said Smith. “As far as we know, that’s where he was last night.”