Deputies seek ‘person of interest’ in Hawthorne slaying
A “person of interest” has been identified in the fatal stabbing of a 22-year-old woman inside her mother’s apartment in Hawthorne, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said Friday.
About 7:30 p.m. Thursday, the mother of Naquia Catching walked into the apartment in the 4800 block of West 118th Street and found Catching dead, said Lt. Eddie Hernandez with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Catching lived at the apartment with her mother, her mother’s estranged boyfriend and their 9-year-old daughter, Hernandez said.
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Catching’s mother received a call earlier in the day from her estranged boyfriend, telling her that he would pick up the 9-year-old girl from her grandmother’s house, Hernandez said.
“She thought it was strange phone call because she normally picks up their daughter,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez said he also made a “strange comment” to the mother.
“The specifics of the phone call, we can’t really confirm at this point,” he said.
The 9-year-old girl is safe and with her family. Sheriff’s detectives are still looking for the man.
“We want to know if he knows anything about what happened to the victim,” Hernandez said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
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Twitter: @nicolesantacruz
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