Slain Man Found Bound And Cuffed In LA Motel Identified

LOS ANGELES, CA — A man whose strangled body was found bound and handcuffed in Woodland Hills last week has been identified, and investigators may have a lead on his killer, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office and Los Angeles Police Department.

Forty-two-year-old Jeffrey Howe, of Woodland Hills, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in his motel room, authorities confirmed. Howe had been living in the motel since July, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The body was discovered Thursday evening by a security guard and manager at the motel in the 20200 block of Ventura Boulevard, near Taft High School in Woodland Hills.

Police arrived to find Howe dead at the scene with his feet tied together and his hands cuffed behind his back.

Detectives observed strangulation marks on Howe's neck.

According to investigators, Howe previously lived in La Quinta in Riverside County.

LAPD Homicide Detective Steve Castro told the Los Angeles Times that detectives have a lead on the motive and the suspect, but he declined to elaborate.

“We are working on some leads that I think are very promising,” Castro told the Times Monday. “In the end, I don’t think it’ll be as weird as everyone thinks it is.”

Anyone with information on Howe's death was asked to call LAPD Valley Bureau Homicide at 818-374-1925. Calls made during non-business hours or on weekends can be directed to 877-527-3247.

Anonymous tips can be called into Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.

City News Service contributed to this report.