Slaying Suspect Arrested at Motel

A slaying suspect who allegedly wrapped his victim in plastic and duct tape and left the body in a barrel in a commercial storage shed was arrested in Hollywood, authorities said Thursday.

Jeffrey Lawrence Weaver, 34, was arrested about 9:15 p.m. Wednesday in the 1400 block of North Fuller Avenue after trying to flee from authorities who tracked him to a Hollywood motel, said Det. Mike Oppelt with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Weaver, who is being held on $1-million bond, is believed to be linked to the slaying of 37-year-old Christopher Walsh of Chatsworth.

Walsh’s remains were found July 2 in a Van Nuys storage shed after someone called police complaining about a foul odor. An autopsy later revealed that Walsh had been shot multiple times. Police said the motive was a dispute over “criminal activity.”

David Michael Steinberg, 36, of North Hollywood, has also been charged in the slaying.

The case unfolded in late June when police got a call from Walsh’s relatives reporting him missing. Police then paid a visit to the home of Steinberg, a known associate of Walsh, where they found “evidence of foul play,” Oppelt said. Soon after, Steinberg was arrested.

It took authorities seven months to track down Weaver. Three weeks ago, the LAPD enlisted the help of inspectors with the U.S. Marshals Service’s Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Their break came Wednesday when Weaver was spotted at the Saharan motel in Hollywood by an informant who called authorities, Oppelt said. When authorities moved in, they spotted Weaver walking away “concealing his face with his jacket,” Oppelt said.