Autopsy inconclusive on woman found in hotel water tank

More tests need to be performed before a cause of death can be determined for the Canadian tourist whose body was found inside a water tank atop a downtown Los Angeles hotel, coroner's officials said Thursday.

The body of Elisa Lam, 21, was pulled from a tank at the Cecil Hotel on Tuesday. Lam, who authorities said traveled to California from Vancouver on Jan. 26, was last seen Jan. 31 at the hotel.

Los Angeles County coroner's spokesman Ed Winter said the autopsy was completed. He would not say whether the medical examination found visible signs of trauma on the body.

But Winter said toxicology tests, which will take six to eight weeks to complete, would help determine if Lam was taking medication or another substance at the time of her death and, if so, whether it was at therapeutic levels. He did not elaborate.

Winter also did not reveal whether coroner's investigators had determined how Lam got into the water tank or how long she may have been inside. The matter is being treated as a death investigation, he said.

Law enforcement officials familiar with the case said that although foul play is a possibility, they are examining whether Lam's death might have been an accident.

The body was discovered by a hotel worker checking out complaints of weak water pressure, police said.

Lam was reported missing about three weeks ago. Last week, police released video of her inside a Cecil Hotel elevator. In surveillance footage, Lam is seen pushing buttons for multiple floors and at one point stepping out of the elevator, waving her arms.

The only ways to get to the roof are via a locked door that only employees have access to and a fire escape. The door is equipped with an alarm system that notifies hotel personnel if someone is on the roof, Los Angeles police Sgt. Rudy Lopez said.

Also Thursday, health officials said there were no traces of disease-causing bacteria in the Cecil Hotel's water supply.

A do-not-drink order implemented Tuesday was expected to be in place through the weekend until the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health determines that the water is suitable for drinking, said Angelo Bellomo, director of environmental health.

Officials tested for disease-causing coliforms at different places inside the 15-story Cecil Hotel.

"The tests came back negative, meaning that if they were in the water they are no longer viable," Bellomo said. The test didn't take into account water conditions before samples were taken Tuesday, Bellomo said. But the chance of disease-causing bacteria surviving was "very unlikely" because of the chlorine in the water.

The Cecil Hotel is expected to drain and flush its tanks and water lines before sanitizing them, a process that could take two or three days. The Department of Public Health will then conduct another series of tests before deeming the water safe to drink.

andrew.blankstein@latimes.com

adolfo.flores@latimes.com

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Victim recalled as full of promise, with a heavy metal edge

In the splintered world of high school, Courtney Aoki was someone remembered for blazing a path all her own.

She favored red and black, and walked through the halls wearing cat ears. She carried a journal in which she would jot down poetry, and had a grasp of literature that stuck in her teacher's mind years later. And she enjoyed musicals — "Chicago" and "Rocky Horror Picture Show" were among her favorites. Her ambition was to one day be on stage, working as an actress.

"She was on her way to do something great," said J.C. Marquez, her English teacher at Renaissance High School for the Arts, which she attended for two years.

Yet it remains puzzling to those who knew her, as well as investigators, why the 20-year-old was in a bedroom of a Ladera Ranch condominium, fatally shot before dawn Tuesday — the first victim in a rampage through Orange County in which authorities said Ali Syed stole a car and aimed his shotgun randomly at motorists, killing two others before shooting himself.

Although friends and authorities have said that Aoki was working as an escort, no one is rushing to connect the occupation with her violent death. It's unclear what relationship — if any — Syed and Aoki had, but she was found fully clothed, and there was no evidence of a sexual assault.

"There's still a lot of work to do in this case," Orange County Sheriff's spokesman Jim Amorminosaid.

That includes examining the contents of the computers owned by Syed, the 20-year-old unemployed, part-time community college student described by officials as a loner who spent countless hours holed up in his bedroom playing video games.

Three days after her death, those closest to Aoki are at a loss.

Danni Wood, 23, had known Aoki since they were both students at Renaissance in Long Beach. They liked to listen to the beats of Sublime and the high-pitched pop of Aqua, and were in a clique that practiced magic after school. The two fell out of touch when Aoki left Renaissance after 10th grade, moving to Norwalk High School.

Carina Hebert, a friend at Renaissance, explained that Aoki left the arts-oriented school because her family was having financial problems. "It just became too hard on her mom to drive her there every day," Hebert said. Aoki's mother didn't return phone calls seeking comment.

Wood reconnected with Aoki in recent years, and said she talked on the phone with Aoki two days before she was killed. Aoki gave her relationship advice.

The two had talked about going to an Anime expo and shopping for Aoki's birthday in June — her 21st. They were also thinking about getting tattoos together on Wood's birthday next month.

"That was the plan," Wood said, "and now it's not going to happen."

She said that Aoki had recently worked at a fast-food restaurant and was taking classes in massage therapy. But those who knew her as a high school student recalled a young woman with flair and big plans — someone with remarkable talent and individuality.

"She had everything going for her in terms of writing," said Marquez, who lost track of her after she left Renaissance.

In class, he said, she approached literature with an appreciation rare for a teenager, whether the assignment was analyzing Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" or doing a table read of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

"She just seemed to get it," Marquez said, "and she wanted to absorb more of it."

In 2010, she attended a program for young performing artists in Orange County and made an impression with her dynamic stage presence. "She was comfortable on the stage," said Jim Perez, who manages the program for the Orange County Board of Education. "It was her home."

Not only could she sing and dance, he said, but was supportive of her classmates who weren't as confident in their performances.

Aoki later developed a tougher exterior, with a heavy metal edge. Tattoos began covering her body, including one of a black widow on her chest with the number 13 for Friday the 13th that she got with a friend last year. Her Facebook page included a take-life-as-it-comes quote: "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today."

But friends said it was a shell that cloaked her genuine personality: thoughtful and kind-natured, if also a little nerdy.

Hebert didn't stay close after Aoki left Renaissance, only reconnecting briefly during their senior year. But the reasons Aoki was a memorable person are still vivid in her mind.

"The key thing is that she was just so sweet and lovable," Hebert said." Even if you thought she was weird, you just couldn't help but smile when she was around."

nicole.santacruz@latimes.com

Times staff writers Mike Anton, Rick Rojas and Richard Winton contributed to this report.

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Fathers read to children at South L.A. school

Students at 99th Street Elementary School near Watts caught a glimpse of what for most is a rare sight: fathers reading to them.

Sitting in chairs built for bodies much smaller than their own, about 150 men participated in the school's fifth annual Donuts With Dads event Thursday. But they do more than tell stories, school officials said.

"Having the men come in is motivating to the students," said Erica Jones, a third-grade teacher. "To have a dad feel it's important to be here and read translates the same message to the child."

The program was created as a way for the struggling elementary school to become an active part of the community. The school is one of the Los Angeles Unified campuses managed by the nonprofit Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, founded five years ago by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

After the campus joined the partnership, school officials conducted an informal survey and discovered that 80% of the students didn't have a father at home. Parent volunteers were sought, and while a few dozen trickled in, administrators turned to others in the community.

Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's Southeast Division, the California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles School Police peppered the crowd, their starched uniforms contrasting with other attendees' informal attire.

"We wanted to change the relationship between the department and the community, so I encouraged the officers to come and read," LAPD Capt. Phillip Tingirides said. "Now they see the kids are just like theirs, but they crave that attention from a male figure."

Some of the parents recognized the officers' efforts and appreciated their contribution.

"This means a lot to me because my son's dad is not around," Tynesha Warren said. "The support of the community, the school and other fathers helps me as a single mother to raise an educated and prepared child."

Her son, fifth-grader Emariye Louden, who read a poem titled "My Mentor, My Friend" to the assembly of men before they split up to read, said he dreams of going to Harvard to study law.

Since launching Donuts and similar family engagement programs such as Muffins With Moms and Goodies With Grandparents at 99th Street, parent participation has grown steadily with the help of a community representative, Principal Courtney Sawyer said.

"My son was so excited when he brought the letter home telling us about this," said Jaime Cuevas, who moved close to Watts so his second-grader could attend the school. "I grew up thinking I didn't need a father figure, but I decided I had to break the cycle for my son. Little things like this will help me be here with him."

dalina.castellanos@latimes.com

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Garcetti and Greuel in duel for funds

Wendy Greuel and Eric Garcetti remain locked in a tight fundraising battle, with the front-runners in Los Angeles' mayoral contest each raising just under a half-million dollars in recent weeks and both showing ample cash reserves to wage a vigorous effort in the closing days of the primary campaign, according to disclosure reports filed with the City Ethics Commission on Thursday.

Greuel has a razor-blade edge — the city controller raised $473,582 and spent more than $1.7 million in the latest reporting period between Jan. 20 and Feb. 16. She enters the final days before the March 5 contest with nearly $1.7 million cash on hand, according to the reports.

Noting that nearly three-quarters of her recent contributions came from first-time donors and more than half were from contributors who gave $250 and under, Greuel said the figures signified the momentum behind her campaign.

"It's amazing that so many Angelenos from every corner of the city are coming together to join our grassroots campaign," Greuel said in a statement. "In this election, we can fight together to change our city. We can build a stronger economy that creates jobs, a seamless public transportation system and better schools. We can crack down on waste in government so Angelenos can get the services they deserve. Today's report shows that people across L.A. are joining together to make this vision a reality."

Greuel's main rival, City Councilman Garcetti, raised $452,819 and spent nearly $2.5 million during the same time frame, ending the filing period with $1.5 million cash on hand, according to campaign filings. He noted that with more than 10,000 donors, he leads the field in grassroots support.

"I'm proud that our campaign's momentum is growing every day as more people learn about my plans to create jobs and solve problems for L.A. residents," Garcetti said in a statement. "You can see our grassroots strength through our fundraising, our energized volunteer corps and our thriving online network."

Overall, fundraising by the mayoral candidates has topped $11 million. Greuel and Garcetti are saturating the television and radio airwaves and have started attacking one another in voters' mailboxes. They have been fairly even in their fundraising efforts for many months, allowing them both to run a robust advertising campaign. But while Garcetti spent more during the filing period, Greuel has a steep advantage in outside efforts on her behalf. Of the $1.7 million spent by independent committees, more than $1.2 million has been spent to boost her bid, largely by labor.

Voters typically only see the candidates' ads and mailers, or clips of them on the nightly news. Under the radar, the candidates are spending significant time raising the kind of money it takes to campaign in a city as sprawling as Los Angeles. On Wednesday night, Garcetti held a fundraiser at the Petersen Automotive Museum with some of the city's hottest chefs — turning out a young and stylish crowd who sampled craft beers and delicacies such as braised and crispy pork with salted oats, house mostarda and toasted broccoli. On the same night, Greuel held a fundraiser with U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) at the Beverly Hills manse of billionaire media mogul Haim Saban. But unlike Garcetti, her campaign did not allow the media to attend.

Greuel's ads have highlighted her efforts as controller to root out "waste, fraud and abuse" — claims her opponents say she has exaggerated. On Thursday, Garcetti launched two new 15-second ads featuring his endorsement by the Los Angeles Times. Those followed two introductory spots in English and Spanish. The councilman is spending more than $600,000 this week airing ads, according to a Democratic media consultant who is not working for any candidate. Greuel and the efforts on her behalf, which are not allowed to legally coordinate with her campaign, spent about $1.3 million in the same period, according to the media consultant.

Councilwoman Jan Perry, who has been waging a blistering mail campaign against Greuel, continues to lag behind. She raised nearly $68,000 in the filing period, and spent nearly $809,000, leaving her with less than a half-million dollars for the remainder of the race. Emanuel Pleitez, the former technology executive who has never held elected office, reported raising nearly $20,000 and spending nearly $194,000 during the period, leaving him with nearly $146,000 cash on hand.

Kevin James, the sole Republican in the race, has been the beneficiary of nearly $500,000 in outside spending. He has had difficulties raising money, but his campaign has claimed that the numbers were improving. They did not file a disclosure report by press time, but his campaign manager said James had raised $52,000 and had spent $181,000 during the filing period, leaving the former entertainment attorney with about $25,000 cash on hand.

seema.mehta@latimes.com

maeve.reston@latimes.com

Times staff writer Maloy Moore contributed to this report.

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Bell trial's closing arguments marked by anger and passion

During closing statements that were both impassioned and scornful, the prosecution presented the six former City Council members accused in the Bell corruption trial as thieves who fleeced a small, working-class town, while the defense portrayed them as hard-working public servants dedicated to their community.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Edward Miller took aim at the defendants, saying that instead of serving their low-income constituents, they were more interested in fattening their wallets.

"I'm talking about taking big money — money from poor people, money from tenants in low-income housing," he said.

As the four-week trial in the municipal corruption case winds down, the case will probably go to the jury late this week. Luis Artiga, Victor Bello, George Cole, Oscar Hernandez, Teresa Jacobo and George Mirabal are accused of misappropriating city funds by drawing annual salaries of up to $100,000 for work on city boards that seldom met and did little work.

Miller lambasted the defendants' work on four city authorities, and said the dozens of documents shown throughout the trial — including resolutions for pay raises — were "the instruments by which they stole $1.3 million from the citizens of Bell — proof that the pen is mightier than the sword when it comes to white-collar crime."

During his 77-minute statement, Miller tore down each defendant.

Talking about Cole, who testified that he had voted for a 12% annual raise because he feared then-City Administrator Robert Rizzo, Miller said: "Boy, I sure wish my boss would threaten me with a raise."

Miller called Bello's work with the food bank, a job he was given after resigning from the council, a scam.

"Every time one of the recipients looked at him as an angel of mercy, they were actually looking at nothing more than a charlatan, a fake, a phony, a $100,000-a-year volunteer," he said.

Mirabal, he said, had been city clerk, Jacobo a real estate agent and Hernandez a grocery store owner.

"They just weren't 'yes men,' except when it came to pay raises for themselves," he said.

Artiga, a church pastor who was appointed to the council in 2008 when Cole resigned, had a responsibility to determine the appropriateness of his salary, Miller said.

Defense attorneys shot back, reminding jurors that witnesses had testified that their clients worked tirelessly for the community. The defendants, attorneys said, relied on experts who never waved a red flag over the salaries.

Jacobo's attorney, Shepard Kopp, brought up his client's testimony that Rizzo and City Atty. Edward Lee said her pay raise would be legal.

Kopp also questioned why Lee wasn't called as a prosecution witness. "He either drafted or reviewed every single one of these resolutions that raised their pay. He never said a word to Ms. Jacobo or anyone else there was a problem with it."

Kopp argued that although state law fixed salaries for the Bell Community Housing Authority at a maximum of $50 for each of four meetings a month, that did not include payment for work outside meetings.

The prosecution, Kopp said, has "been focused only on the meetings and that's not where the work is done."

Ronald Kaye, Cole's attorney, said nothing had proved that his client believed his pay for the authorities was more than an accounting and bookkeeping procedure.

Kaye imitated Miller's voice and attacked the prosecutor for offering "misleading" evidence. He also referred to Rizzo as "a vindictive control freak."

The defense attorney made a final plea for his client: "They can defame him. They can falsely arrest him. They can destroy his reputation. They can haul him into court.... But this prosecutor does not control his fate anymore.

"Go back to that jury room and give George Cole back his life."

Closing arguments will continue Thursday.

jeff.gottlieb@latimes.com

corina.knoll@latimes.com

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600 may lose jobs as a result of Inglewood casino renovation

While working at Hollywood Park Casino, Tafere Haileselassie has been able to achieve what some say is the American Dream.

The Ethiopian immigrant said he put his two children through college and bought a house in the Crenshaw district, all on the tips and minimum-wage salary he earned as a porter at the Inglewood card club.

But come March, when a new manager is scheduled to take over the daily operations of the aging casino, Haileselassie and about 600 workers may be out of jobs. They received their termination notices several weeks ago after months of speculation and have been holding occasional protests outside the casino, including one on Monday.

"If I lose my job, then I lose my house," said the 61-year old, whose wife also works at the casino and received the same notice.

Under new management, the retro-looking casino is scheduled for renovation, with upscale gaming and entertainment.

Since 2009, city officials have been touting a $2-billion revitalization plan that will transform the historic racetrack into a retail and residential complex. The new project, called Hollywood Park Tomorrow, will incorporate the existing Hollywood Park Casino. Horse racing will be replaced with a shopping and entertainment district. Additional plans call for a 25-acre park, including a lake and a waterfall.

"I'm excited about the opportunities this facility has to offer," said Eric Swallow, who has applied to become the casino's new operator. "It's a diamond in the rough."

Swallow said the final plan calls for adding jobs and hiring many workers from the local community. Although all the existing employees received layoff notices, Swallow said he hopes to "hire as many people as I can."

But casino employees — many of whom are older, immigrant workers — said his actions tell a different story.

Swallow has not yet signed an agreement pledging to keep the employees for a specific amount of time, an action he said is illegal because his bid to become the new operator has not been approved by the city and the state gaming commission.

The Inglewood City Council was set to approve the license earlier this month, noting that rejecting the request could cause the casino to close temporarily, reducing city revenue. Inglewood expects to receive $3.8 million in fees from the card club this fiscal year.

But at the last minute, Mayor James Butts pulled the contentious item from the agenda to allow the union and Swallow time to iron out a deal before the California Gambling Control Commission votes on the license request Thursday. Those talks have since reached a stalemate.

However, union leaders said that Swallow is already acting as the new manager and may be trying to cut costs by hiring part-time workers. He has started recruiting new employees, advertising job openings on Craigslist and holding career fairs at the nearby racetrack.

"It's very clear to me that he is trying to string us along and fire all, if not most, of the employees," said Tom Walsh, president of Unite Here, Local 11, the union for 150 of the hospitality workers. "This will have a devastating effect on local communities who survive on these jobs."

The jobs at stake are not glamorous. Most are hospitality and cleaning positions. Workers can earn $8 to $11 an hour, plus tips and a full benefits package.

Workers like Pamela Smith and Jamandawa Dunlap rely on the healthcare coverage to pay for medical expenses they said were caused by the stress of not knowing about whether they would keep their jobs. Smith said she suffered a mild stroke in December and Dunlap said she was recently diagnosed with depression.

"I'm fearful of losing everything — my job, my rent, my everything," Dunlap said, her voice choking. "I'm 53. Nobody is going to hire a 53-year-old cocktail waitress."

Swallow said he plans to revamp the casino much like he did in San Jose. There, he took the ailing Garden City Casino from its old facilities, renamed it Casino M8trix and moved it into a $50-million state-of-the-art building. He said he also increased the staff by about 300.

"I believe we can do more at this casino but on a larger scale," Swallow said of the Inglewood card club.

Workers and Walsh, the union president, said they want to be a part of that change. Some, including Haileselassie, have worked at the casino since it opened in 1994. They have seen the management change hands twice before, but they never feared for their jobs as they do now.

Last month, most workers were interviewed by the new management team. They were told that they would receive calls in two weeks if they were offered a position. Nobody has received a call back, according to union leaders and the employees. Swallow said he will make hiring decisions closer to the March 5 transfer date.

"All transitions are difficult," he said. "I understand all the employees' concerns."

angel.jennings@latimes.com

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More students taking and passing Advanced Placement exams

More students in the Los Angeles Unified School District took and passed an Advanced Placement exam last year, reflecting a rise in success on the college-level tests in California and nationwide.

A record number of students took AP exams in 2012 — nearly one-third of high school graduates nationwide took at least one of the tests and nearly one in five had passing scores, according to a report released Wednesday by the College Board, the New York nonprofit that administers the exams.

More than 954,000 high schoolers took at least one AP exam last year, compared with about 471,400 students in 2002.

And with the largest and most diverse population of students taking the tests on record, average scores and the percentage passing both have increased nationwide.

In California, about 37% of high school graduates in the class of 2012 took at least one AP exam, up from about 29% in 2007 and 24% in 2002. Nearly a quarter of California graduates in 2012, or 24.7%, passed at least one exam — the eighth-highest percentage in the country.

The results show that teachers and students seem to have bucked the notion that more access to these rigorous classes causes lower test score averages, College Board President David Coleman said.

"We can simultaneously improve both equity and excellence in this country," he said.

Still, the report notes that more than 300,000 graduates in 2012 who were identified as having "AP potential" through scores on other tests did not take any AP exams.

And a wide gap remains in access to the high school classes among low-income and certain minority students and their white and Asian peers, the report said. In most subjects, African American, Latino, American Indian and Alaska Native students are far less likely to enroll in AP courses.

Latinos in California made up about 44% of high school graduates in 2012. But among all graduates who took at least one AP exam, 37% were Latino. That figure is up, however, from about 30% in 2007 and about 28% in 2002.

African American students in the state comprised about 7% of graduates in 2012. But of all graduates who took an exam, about 4% were black, compared with 3.6% in 2007 and 1.6% in 2002.

In L.A. Unified, 22,932 students took at least one AP test last year — an increase of more than 8% over the previous year. Of the 41,006 tests taken, 16,309 had passing scores, an 11.2% increase from the previous year.

To succeed on an AP exam, students need to score a 3 or higher on a 5-point scale. Many colleges and universities offer college credit for passing scores. AP courses are offered in a variety of subjects, including math, science, foreign language, English and history.

Some education experts and advocates say that the more difficult AP courses are a strong predictor of how well students will perform in college. But there has been a backlash from some colleges and universities that have refused to accept AP scores, and some high schools have stopped offering those classes.

Many students take multiple AP classes throughout high school and their grades in those courses typically are weighted more heavily than regular ones.

State Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said he was pleased with California's progress.

"These results reflect the high value California students and families place on being ready for college — and the increasing success our students and schools are having in achieving that goal," Torlakson said.

Although female students take the exams at higher rates, male students fared better, the College Board said.

Female students made up about 56% of students nationwide who took an exam, but their male classmates averaged a score of 2.95 on the 5-point scale while female students averaged 2.73.

In California, female students made up about 57% of students who took an exam. They too averaged a lower score than their male classmates, who averaged a score of 3.03 while female students averaged 2.8.

stephen.ceasar@latimes.com

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Legal team misled convicted rapist, witnesses testify

Andrew Luster was misled by members of a legal team who urged him to flee the country rather than face rape charges, according to witnesses in a court hearing Wednesday.

Luster, the great-grandson of cosmetics magnate Max Factor, was convicted in absentia and is in court this week seeking a reduction in his 124-year sentence, as well as a new trial. The hearing, which is being held at the Ventura County Courthouse before retired Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Kathryne Ann Stoltz, is expected to last into next week.

Luster fled in 2003, while out on bail on charges related to videotaped sexual encounters with unconscious women. Months later, bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman apprehended him at a taco stand in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Chapman went on to star in a TV reality show, while Luster went to Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, Calif.

A state appeals court last spring agreed that Luster's unusually long sentence should be reconsidered in light of claims that he had been poorly represented "in a textbook case of grasping lawyers seeking fame and fortune."

In a blue jail jumpsuit and orange T-shirt, the 49-year-old former surfer smiled at his old friend Darryl Genis, one of several witnesses who appeared Wednesday. A Santa Barbara attorney who specializes in DUI cases, Genis recounted how the two met while surfing at Hollister Ranch, where they occasionally ate sandwiches together.

Offering Luster apologies for his candor, Genis testified that his old surfing buddy was "childlike" and failed to comprehend that he could be sentenced to more than 100 years.

Luster had been "able to live a life on vacation", Genis said, never rooting himself in such concerns as earning a living. Dealing realistically with the court system and accepting a possible 8- to 12-year plea deal were made more difficult by a member of Luster's defense team who misled Luster by "painting a picture that was pure fantasy," Genis said.

Attorney Joel Isaacson "was talking about the case as if it were in L.A.," Genis said. When asked to clarify, Genis said that Ventura County juries were "absolutely biased" against Los Angeles lawyers. He said Isaacson frightened Luster, telling his client he'd likely be killed in prison. Luster was uncertain whether he should agree with team members who urged him to consider a guilty plea or Isaacson, who urged him to fight, Genis said.

"In his own childlike way, he tried to do a cost-benefit analysis," Genis said of Luster.

Luster's financial advisor, Albert Gersh, had particularly harsh words for Richard G. Sherman, a Luster attorney who he said advised his client to head for the border. Sherman, who died in 2011, and one of his investigators "encouraged him to leave the country … they said he'd be murdered in prison," Gersh said.

The financial advisor said he told Luster that fleeing was "the stupidest idea I'd ever heard."

In court, deputy Dist. Atty. Michelle Contois expressed skepticism that Luster bolted only because Sherman and his investigator frightened him with repeated tales of death behind bars.

"Luster could have terminated their services if he didn't like the advice he was getting," she said.

steve.chawkins@latimes.com

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O.C. shootings leave four dead, many questions

The rampage began just as the morning commute was getting underway.

Over the course of about an hour, authorities say, a 20-year-old college student killed a woman at his Ladera Ranch home and embarked on a string of shootings that stretched through the heart of Orange County, targeting random people during their morning routines.

He carjacked a truck at a gas station, police said, then executed a businessman and stole his BMW. A few minutes later, he killed a plumber and took a work truck. He shot indiscriminately at morning commuters on the 55 Freeway, hitting at least three cars.

In the end, authorities say the gunman killed three people and wounded three others before fatally turning his gun on himself.

Authorities were stunned by what they described as the "senseless violence," which spanned about 25 miles of normally placid suburbia. The gunman, identified as Ali Syed, had no criminal record and left few clues as to any motive, police said.

"I just killed someone," he told one man during the rampage, according to police. "This is my last day."

Police discovered the first victim early Tuesday at a beige-and-white stucco condo in an upscale Ladera Ranch community. Syed, who was unemployed and enrolled in a class at Saddleback College, lived there with his parents.

Neighbor Jason Glass said he heard three to five loud bangs in the early morning. He heard doors slam, then a car sped away from the house.

"I just thought somebody was being really loud and obnoxious," Glass said.

Deputies arrived at the neighborhood of doctors and lawyers about 4:45 a.m., after Syed's parents called 911.

Authorities found the body of a woman in her 20s who'd been shot multiple times. She was not related to Syed, authorities said. As of Tuesday evening, it remained unclear who she was and why she was at his home.

Meanwhile, Syed had taken off in the family's black GMC Yukon, armed with at least one shotgun, authorities said. Possibly in his haste to flee, police said, he damaged the vehicle.

He exited Interstate 5 at Red Hill Avenue in Tustin about 5 a.m. and pulled into a Denny's parking lot. There, a man was sitting in an older-model blue Cadillac, waiting for his son. They'd planned to carpool to work.

Police said the gunman pointed his weapon at the man and yelled "Get out." Instead the man sped away and Syed fired, shattering the Cadillac's rear window and striking the man in the back of the head. The man kept going — he was later treated at a hospital — and the gunman dashed to a nearby Mobil station, authorities said, where he spotted a man pumping gas.

"When they made eye contact, Syed started running toward the victim," said Tustin Police Chief Scott Jordan. "He said to him, 'I don't want to hurt you. I just killed someone. Give me your keys. This is my last day.'"

The man obliged.

Syed took the man's Dodge pickup and headed north on Interstate 5, authorities said. After merging onto the southbound 55 Freeway, he stopped on the shoulder, got out of the truck and opened fire on the cars speeding by, hitting at least three. One driver was injured by flying glass.

Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said the gunman may have realized that the pickup was low on fuel and was trying to steal a second vehicle.

Damita Cunningham was driving on the 55 Freeway about 5:20 a.m. when traffic suddenly halted. She put her Honda Accord in reverse, thinking she could go around the accident, but a large vehicle backed into her and drove away.

Cunningham followed the vehicle, which pulled off the freeway. She walked over to the driver, whom she described as "sitting there with a blank stare." He told her a man had pointed a gun at his window. He had been trying to flee.

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Allegations made against Catalina conservancy exec

The California state attorney general's office is investigating whether the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy's controversial executive director misappropriated funds, sources close to the case said Tuesday.

That allegation and others against Ann Muscat were made in complaints submitted to the attorney general by former officers of the nonprofit that manages nine-tenths of Santa Catalina Island, according to documents obtained by The Times.

Muscat declined to comment. Lynda Gledhill, press secretary for Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris, would neither confirm nor deny that an investigation was underway.

In a prepared statement, conservancy spokesman Jared Ficker said: "Should any complaints about the conservancy be made, we are confident that the attorney general's office would conclude that the conservancy is a well-run and effective organization. We can unequivocally state that no misuse of funds or actions by the board or its executive team are inappropriate."

One of the complaints includes a letter by Roy Rose, a major donor and volunteer who served as secretary on the conservancy's board of directors before quitting out of unhappiness with Muscat's stewardship. Rose alleged that Muscat told him she "silenced" Mel Dinkel, the conservancy's treasurer and chief operating officer who resigned in May, with "hush money" in the form of a $100,000 "consulting agreement."

"She went on to say that she was working on securing such agreements for use in the future, acknowledging that there were other Judases in the organization," Rose said in the letter.

Dinkel declined to comment.

At least 14 conservancy scientists and officials have quit in recent months, citing Muscat's leadership style and the direction she is taking the 40-year-old organization. Its $12-million annual budget is dedicated to protecting the island's habitat, wildlife and recreational opportunities.

Muscat remains on the job because a majority of the board voted in closed session Dec. 14 to keep her until a replacement was found, sources said.

Rose, 77, who recently wrote the conservancy out of his will, said in an interview, "I was alone with Ann when she said it, and it is her word against mine. I'm telling the truth."

A separate complaint filed by a former board member focused on the discovery that Muscat's current contract had been renegotiated and executed earlier this year by an executive committee without review or approval of the full board. Muscat earns about $286,000 a year, according to state tax reports.

Conservancy officials claim the contract negotiations were conducted under the guidance of a longtime outside counsel.

That second complaint added that conservancy officials warned the former board member "that they could take legal action against me if I ever discuss these issues with anyone. This seems a ploy to control information, but the bullying is working."

louis.sahagun@latimes.com

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