A man and a woman wanted as suspects in the killing of a 70-year-old grandmother shot in the face during an attempted Christmas Day purse snatching in Inglewood were taken into custody Friday in Texas, police said.
Lourdes Padilla of Inglewood was shot about 1 p.m. on Dec. 25 near the intersection of Yukon Avenue and 104th Street, according to the Inglewood Police Department.
Responding officers found the wounded woman down on the sidewalk. Padilla was in critical condition when she was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead two days later, police said
Padilla had left home to go to a store before she was shot.
Police allege that one suspect — 20-year-old Donovan Bingaman, whose last known address was in Las Vegas — was driving a car and that the other suspect, 29-year-old Lizet Martinez, got out and tried to take Padilla’s purse, then shot her in the face when she resisted.
“Miss Padilla was a mother and a grandmother and all she was doing was walking on the street on Christmas, Mayor James Butts said earlier this month. “It’s incomprehensible that anyone would have even have bothered her let alone shot her for her purse.”
The suspects were stopped by the Casa Grande Police Department in Arizona on Jan. 18, but they sped away in a white Nissan Versa with paper plates leading to a high-speed chase. They managed to get away, according to Inglewood police Lt. Oscar Mejia.
Bingaman and Martinez were taken into custody in Odessa, Texas, after coming into contact with officers there, according to Inglewood police.
The exact timing and details of their apprehension were not immediately available.
Both Bingaman, who was described as a member of Las Vegas Eastside Locos gang, and Martinez were considered armed and dangerous.
A gofundme effort started by a friend of Padilla’s family has raised $4,058 toward a goal of $10,000 to assist the woman’s loved ones in their time of need.
Padilla’s family issued a statement thanking those who have offered condolences or made contributions, while also asking for privacy.
Anyone with information about the shooting was urged to call (310) 412-5124 to speak to Inglewood Police Detective L. Rodriguez, or the watch commander at (310) 412-5206.
The department’s 24-hour tipline can be reached at (888) 412-7463. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS or visit lacrimestoppers.org.
Tips can be submitted anonymously.
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