Matthew Perez was 24 years old when he died on the night of Sunday, June 24, 2007, in East Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died of stab wounds at 6631 Ferguson Drive. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a case of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
The Los Angeles Times Homicide Report said that Perez, "24, a Latino man, was stabbed to death at 6631 Ferguson Drive in East Los Angeles. He died at 10:02 p.m. Sunday, June 24."
His aunt, Letty Ainsworth, told the Times about the young man her family knew. She said that Perez "had just graduated from computer school and wanted to become a graphic artist." As a youngster, the report said, "he had gotten into some trouble and had been assigned community service which led to a stint with the Salvation Army. He didn't quit after his term was fulfilled.
He continued working for the Salvation Army of his own volition until his death, as well as with soup kitchens affiliated with his Catholic church, she said."
That account describes a man who had turned an early mistake into a habit of helping others, and who was just starting toward the career he wanted when he was killed. His aunt also gave the only description of the attack itself. She said "he was walking and was attacked, perhaps by a group."
The report did not say who the attackers were, how many there may have been, whether anything was taken from him, or whether anyone saw the assault. It did not say whether he was near his own home or simply passing through. No statement from sheriff's detectives appears in the public record, and no follow-up article about the case could be found.
Matthew Perez is also one of the most common names in the country. It is shared by athletes, attorneys and many other men in California and elsewhere, none of whom has any connection to this death, which makes it hard to trace any later public mention of him. No obituary or memorial page that can be clearly tied to him could be found. His family, his classmates from computer school and the people he worked beside at the Salvation Army and his church would remember far more about him than the public record does.
East Los Angeles is a large unincorporated community just east of the city of Los Angeles, policed by the Sheriff's Department rather than a city force. It is one of the historic centers of Mexican American life in Southern California, known for Whittier Boulevard, its family-owned shops and restaurants, and East Los Angeles College. Most of its streets, like Ferguson Drive, are lined with modest homes and small apartment buildings.
Hundreds of people are killed in Los Angeles County every year, and a large share of those killings end without an arrest.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Matthew Perez could be found in news archives or public records. More than 18 years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Anyone who knew Matthew Perez, who saw a group on or near Ferguson Drive on the evening of June 24, 2007, or who later heard someone talk about the attack, may hold information that could help detectives. Even a small detail, such as a name overheard, a vehicle seen nearby or a conversation remembered, can help detectives move a case forward. Anyone with information can contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
