3 charged in connection with burning body found near Castaic
Three people have been charged in connection with the killing of a man whose burning body was found near Castaic, authorities said Wednesday night.
Homicide detectives had been trying to determine whether the body was that of college student Bryce Laspisa, 19, who has been missing for nearly two weeks.
But authorities said the victim was Lamondre Deon Miles, 35, who lived in the unincorporated Florence-Firestone neighborhood that borders South Los Angeles.
Miles was shot multiple times in the torso in Hawthorne and was dead before his body was dumped in the Castaic area and set on fire, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The body was found early Sept. 4 about three miles north of Lake Hughes Road by a cyclist who reported it as a brush fire, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said. Firefighters responded and instead found the burning body.
Authorities said 23-year-old Joanna Amezcua and her 22-year-old brother Luis Amezcua were charged by prosecutors with one count each of murder. Bail was set $1 million.
Javier Vega, 33, described by authorities as Joanna Amezcua’s boyfriend, was charged with being an accessory to murder, authorities said. His bail was set at $575,000.
Authorities said the killing apparently stemmed from a dispute over money but did not elaborate.
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