EL MONTE (CNS) - A man was in custody today for allegedly killing his 64-year-old roommate, whose body was found in a dumpster near the El Monte mobile home park where they lived, police reported.
David Lemus-Orellana, 22, was booked on suspicion of murder in the death of Florinda Velasquez-Hernandez, and was being held on $1 million bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
“The suspect and victim were roommates,” sheriff's Deputy Trina Schrader said in a statement. “The motive for this incident is unknown at this time.”
The body was discovered in a dumpster about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 3300 block of Maxson Road by El Monte police officers sent there on a “suspicious circumstances” call from a person who reported that a man was seen dragging a female body toward the trash container, sheriff's Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez said.
Security video showed a man pushing a plastic bin toward the dumpster, then returning minutes later without the bin.
Family members told CBS2 that the victim rented a room in a mobile home where at least two men also lived. Her family said she had immigrated into the U.S. from El Salvador three years ago.
Information was not immediately available on her cause of death.
Sheriff's detectives, who were assisting El Monte police in the investigation, asked anyone with information about the woman's death to contact the Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. An anonymous report can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
Photo: Getty Images