Update, Monday: Lamont E. Horton appeared in court on Monday for the first time following a suspected murder that occurred in Santa Monica on Thursday morning, Aug. 11. The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office charged Horton with one count of 187(a)PC — second degree murder — according to information from the Santa Monica Police Department, which arrested Horton on suspicion of murder last week. Horton remains in custody and his bail was set at $1 million.
There remained no public information as to the identity of the victim.
Saturday, Aug. 13: The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) reported it had arrested a man suspected of murdering a woman at a Santa Monica apartment on Thursday morning.
The suspect, 47-year-old Lamont E. Horton, remains in SMPD custody and is being held in lieu of $2 million bail, with an initial court date set for Monday, Aug. 15.
As of Friday, the LA County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner was not able to confirm the identity of the victim.
According to information provided in an SMPD press release, the alleged murder took place at a residence in a multi-family apartment building on the 1400 block of Lincoln Boulevard, between Broadway and Santa Monica Boulevard.
“Several witnesses reported hearing a female screaming for help from one of the units,” the report stated.
Three minutes after initial emergency calls were made, SMPD officers said they arrived on the scene, where witnesses described a male who had left the unit.
“A responding motor officer spotted a pedestrian matching the description of the male, and followed him until he was safely detained at the Jack in the Box at 802 Santa Monica Blvd.,” the report stated. “SMPD Officers entered the unit and discovered a deceased female who appeared to be a victim of a homicide.”
Witnesses identified Horton as the man they saw exiting the apartment where police believe the murder took place, and he was arrested and booked for murder under penal code 187.
emily@smdp.com
