Long Beach
Police Department

Update 5/27/21:

On May 27, 2021, at approximately 12:00 p.m., detectives from the Special Investigations Division located and arrested Ricky Delarosa Fernandez, a 41-year-old person experiencing homelessness. Fernandez was located outside a motel in the City of Norwalk.

Through their investigation, detectives believe the April 15, 2021 incident was regarding a dispute that escalated into a stabbing—and Fernandez is responsible for the death of the victim. Detectives do not believe that Fernandez and the victim were known to each other.

The victim has been identified as Ricardo Guerrero, a 31-year-old resident of the City of Long Beach.

Fernandez was booked on one count of murder and is currently being held on $2,000,000 bail in Long Beach City Jail. Detectives anticipate presenting the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office later this week for filing consideration.

Anyone with any information regarding the incident is urged to contact LBPD Homicide Detectives Adrian Garcia or Sean Magee at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through "LA Crime Stoppers" by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the "P3 Tips" app to your smartphone (available at the Apple app store or Google Play), or by visiting www.LACrimeStoppers.org.

Original News Release 4/16/21

On April 15, 2021 at approximately 6:00 p.m., officers were dispatched to a battery call on the 6700 block of Cherry Avenue, which resulted in the death of a male adult.

Upon arrival, officers located the victim near a homeless encampment behind a retail store. The victim was unresponsive with stab wounds to the upper torso, and officers immediately began performing life-saving measures. The Long Beach Fire Department responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe the victim and a male adult suspect were near a homeless encampment when a dispute ensued between them and escalated into the stabbing. The suspect fled the scene prior to the officers’ arrival. The Los Angeles County Department of the Medical Examiner-Coroner will work to identify the decedent and notify next of kin. 

Anyone with any information regarding the incident is urged to contact LBPD Homicide Detectives Adrian Garcia or Sean Magee at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through "LA Crime Stoppers" by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the "P3 Tips" app to your smartphone (available at the Apple app store or Google Play), or by visiting www.LACrimeStoppers.org.