Sketch Released of Suspect in Shooting Death of Grocer

Homicide detectives have released a composite sketch of one of three men sought in the shooting death of a San Gabriel grocer during what local authorities believe was a robbery but the FBI is investigating as a hate crime.

Adel Karas, 48, a Coptic Christian from Egypt who lived in Arcadia, was slain at his cluttered International Store on Las Tunas Drive. On Sept. 15, two men entered the store and shot the father of three to death.

A witness outside the store told detectives that the two men walked “hurriedly” to their car, saying nothing and carrying something that the witness couldn’t make out, said Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Rudy Ortega.

A driver waited in the copper-colored Honda and the three sped away north on Muscatel Avenue. The composite sketch is of the suspected getaway driver.

Some of those details and the “location where it happened were the main reasons we think it’s a robbery,” Ortega said. “But we’re keeping all options open.”

Ortega said he could not confirm a claim by Karas’ family that no money was taken from the store.

The FBI is investigating the possibility that the attack was a hate crime.

The victim’s nephew, Basem Wasef, said the family wants to find out what happened. “Maybe that will bring some closure,” he said.

Wasef said FBI agents investigating the case reported they are “making a lot of progress and have a few leads.”