On Jan. 29 at approximately 4:50 a.m., Santa Monica police officers responded to a radio call requesting additional officers to assist with the search of an assault victim's apartment.
Upon arriving on the scene, officers noticed that there had been a struggle in the apartment and a strong odor of bleach permeated the area.
The victim, a 67-year-old male, told police that he was asleep on his couch when he awoke to the sound of someone opening the balcony sliding glass door. The suspect entered the apartment and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, the suspect splashed bleach on the victim's face and clothing.
The victim was able to wrestle himself away from the suspect and run to a neighbor's house for help.
Neither the neighbor nor victim could provide a clear description of the suspect, saying only that the he is 50-60 years old, about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 130 pounds. DNA evidence was collected from the scene.
On June 5, the ongoing investigation in this case led to the arrest of Hamid Yazdanbakhesh, 58, of La Mirada. He was booked without bail on assault with a deadly weapon/instrument other than a firearm, assault with caustic chemicals and breaking and entering.
