Double Murder Suspect arrested. Angel Santana found in local motel Saturday night.

Panorama City:  Gang officers assigned to LAPD’s Mission Police Station followed a trail of gang intelligence to a local motel where they found Angel Santana, wanted in the double homicide on July 17, 2014, in front of a 7-Eleven in Panorama City.  Three men were shot and two died in that shooting.

“We had information that Santana was still local,” said Lt. Paul Vernon, who heads up the Mission Detective Division.  “Every gang officer was looking for this guy.  It was just a matter of time.”

Originally, it was a gang officer on the morning of the shooting who connected a witness’s description of a one-eyed shooter to Angel Santana.  And last Saturday night, officers from the same gang unit discovered information at one local motel that led them to the Palms Motel on Sepulveda Boulevard, where, it turns out, Santana was hanging out with a woman and another man.

All three were detained.  The man was arrested on warrants.  The woman was released, and Santana was booked on a murder charge, with bail set at $1 million.

Santana’s arrest highlights the value of a law enforcement gang unit.  “These officers know the players: who are enemies and allies, who are feuding; the gang gossip, the tattoos, the cars, etc.,” Lt. Vernon explained.  “Around here, local motels are prime places to find gang members and intelligence, and that’s just where they found Santana.”

Detectives will present the case to prosecutors over the next couple days to secure a murder charge against Santana, while they continue to investigate the case.  “We still have one more shooter to identify,” Lt. Vernon added.  “With Santana in custody, that might come a little easier.”

Anyone with information is urged to call Det. Gretchen Schultz, Mission Homicide Unit, at
(818) 838-9951.  During off-hours, calls should be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at
1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at
1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477).  Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Tipsters may also go to www.lapdonline.org. and click on "Anonymous Web Tips.”