Valley Man Suspected Of Murder After Body Found Buried In His Yard

NORTH HILLS, CA — Police arrested a San Fernando Valley man on suspicion of murder after finding the body of a missing man buried underneath a concrete foundation and structure in his backyard.

Forty-eight-year-old Russell Robinson is suspected of murdering 35-year-old Carlos DeLeon, a Guatemalan man who went missing in June. On Tuesday, investigators, acting on a tip, dug up Deleon's body in Robinson's backyard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

"Information was received that DeLeon was deceased and buried in a rear yard of a residence in the 16200 block of Community Court, in the city of North Hills. A search warrant was obtained to recover the remains and served on the morning of November 21, 2023," Los Angeles police detectives said in a written statement. " A structure located at the rear of the property was removed from its position. The concrete foundation under the structure was also removed. A careful excavation commenced, and the remains of DeLeon were located."

DeLeon's family and friends had reported his disappearance in June after they stopped seeing or hearing from him earlier that month.

Police have not released a motive for the slaying nor did they say how the two men knew one another. Detectives have not publicly identified DeLeon's cause of death.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Moselle at 818-374-9550, or the police tipline at 877-LAPD-247.