Family Losing Patience in Death of South Gate Man

To his family, Everardo Cruz, 28, was always smiling and trying to make people laugh. He was someone that did not go out much, and that had enjoyed working the night shift of a shipping and receiving job, which he had recently been laid off from.

That’s why they cannot understand the circumstances that led Cruz to be found dead in a riverbed, near Southern Avenue and Burtis Street, on the morning of March 3^rd. His body had several bruises and a gunshot wound to his head.

The killer remains at large and Cruz's family is growing impatient.

“We just want justice,” said Everardo’s mother, Mercedes Hernandez, 53, “that they lock up those responsible.”

The family of the victim believes that the murder resulted from a robbery. Cruz had cashed his tax refund, they say, and was also carrying a new laptop and a lot of cash at the time of his murder.  

The laptop has not been recovered and police only found some of the money that had been hidden in his socks, said members of Cruz’s family.

Jaime Cruz Jr., 30, the older brother of the victim, believes that the death of his brother was set up by someone who was aware of the valuables he carried. Maybe, they suspect, it was someone he knew.

“This was something planned,” said Cruz. “I think they knew what he had.”

The family also refuses to believe that the gun, that police allegedly found on the victim, according to Jaime Jr., belonged to him, insisting instead that it must have been planted by the killer.

“My brother did not own a gun,” said Jaime Jr.

Investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's homicide unit have revealed few details to relatives and did not return several messages left by South Gate Patch seeking information.

“It has been a while and we have heard nothing,” said the Jaime Cruz Sr., 55, the father of the victim. “The death of a son hurts you a lot.” 

Department was seeking the publics assistance in their investigation.

“[We are] seeking the public’s help,” said Sergeant Mary Hecht, of the Sheriff’s Department via email.

Anyone with information should contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be submitted at http://lacrimestoppers.org or by texting the letters TIPLA along with your tip to CRIMES (274637). 

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