LAPD Officer Dies In Custody Awaiting Molestation Trial

LOS ANGELES, CA — A former Medal-0f-Valor-winning Los Angeles Police Department officer awaiting trial on multiple child molestation charges died in custody, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department confirmed Monday.

The circumstances surrounding the death of 46-year-old Paul Razo remained a mystery Monday evening. A sheriff's department spokeswoman confirmed he died of medical complications but referred a Patch reporter to homicide investigators who did not immediately respond to inquiries.

Razo was charged early this month with committing lewd acts on four young boys at his Covina home. Prior to his arrest, Razo was assigned to the Hollywood area.

Razo was arrested May 10, five days after he was charged by prosecutors with eight counts of lewd acts on a child. He was scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on multiple days last week, and again on Monday, but the hearing was repeatedly delayed for unspecified reasons.

He was being held in lieu of $2.5 million bail at the sheriff's Inmate Reception Center in downtown Los Angeles, according to inmate records.

According to the District Attorney's Office, Razo allegedly committed the lewd acts at his home, which sheriff's officials said was in the 4800 block of Brightview Drive in the Covina area. Prosecutors said two of the alleged victims are related to Razo, while two others are related to a woman Razo dated.

The children ranged in age from roughly 9 to 13 years old when the alleged abuse began, prosecutors said. The alleged crimes occurred between 2006 and 2017, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Following his arrest, the LAPD released a statement saying it department "is aware of the criminal case involving former Police Officer Paul Razo. The Los Angeles Police Department's Internal Affairs Division initiated an administrative investigation, which is being conducted simultaneously with the pending criminal case. The administrative investigation will include reviewing his past work history for similar behavior.

"Chief Michel Moore is deeply disturbed by these allegations as they are in direct opposition to the Department's Core Values and expectations of a Los Angeles Police Officer. Officer Razo has been employed by the Los Angeles Police Department for approximately 24 years and was last assigned to Hollywood Area as a training coordinator. He separated from the Department in March 2023," the LAPD statement said.

In 2018, Razo received an LAPD Medal of Valor for pulling a man out of a burning car that he saw crash in July 2016 in Glendora while off-duty.

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City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.