LOS ANGELES, CA – A 19-year-old Beverly Hills resident was arrested on suspicion of murder after a late-night fight in a residential alley left another man dead from a neck wound, authorities said.
The confrontation was reported at approximately 11:39 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, in the alley behind the 400 block of North Palm Drive, according to an official Beverly Hills Police Department release.
Officers responding to the scene found two injured men.
One was suffering from a wound to his neck. Officers immediately provided medical aid before Beverly Hills Fire Department paramedics transported him to a hospital, where he later died.
The second man was also injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.
He was later identified as Conoray Lawantara, 19, of Beverly Hills.
Police announced Monday evening that Lawantara had been arrested on suspicion of murder while he remained hospitalized because of injuries sustained during the incident.
The arrest is an allegation. Lawantara is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Police believe no additional people were involved
In its initial statement, BHPD said detectives believed the confrontation was an isolated incident involving no other parties.
That significantly narrows the scope of the investigation.
Police are not currently describing the death as a random attack involving an unknown assailant who remains at large, and the department has not announced an ongoing threat to the surrounding community.
Investigators have not, however, explained what led to the fight.
No motive has been released, and authorities have not disclosed whether Lawantara and the man who died knew one another before the confrontation.
Police also have not said what caused the victim’s neck injury or whether a weapon was recovered from the alley.
Victim’s identity remains withheld
The man who died had not been publicly identified as of the latest information available.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner maintains the public database for qualifying deaths investigated by the county, but cases can be temporarily withheld while next of kin are being notified or when a security hold is in place.
Authorities have not released the victim’s age or hometown.
A final determination of cause and manner of death would generally depend on the Medical Examiner’s investigation in addition to evidence gathered by detectives.
Both men were injured during altercation
BHPD’s official account confirms that both people involved were injured.
Officers found the eventual homicide victim suffering from the neck wound, while the second man also required transportation to a hospital for treatment and evaluation.
Police have not described the nature or severity of Lawantara’s injuries.
It is also unclear how long he is expected to remain hospitalized or when he could be transferred to a jail facility.
The department has not provided details about whether detectives interviewed him before announcing the murder arrest.
Murder arrest does not yet establish final charges
Lawantara’s arrest on suspicion of murder marks a major step in the case, but it is not the same as a formal conviction or even necessarily the final charge prosecutors may pursue.
Police investigators will prepare evidence for prosecutorial review, including witness statements, physical evidence from the alley, medical findings and any available surveillance video.
A charging decision would then determine what criminal allegations proceed in court.
BHPD had not published a separate updated media release detailing the arrest at the time the department’s official media page was reviewed. Its Aug. 31 release described the matter as an active death investigation and said additional information would be released as the investigation progressed.
Detectives continue reconstructing what happened
The location of the confrontation could provide investigators with additional evidence.
Residential alleys may be covered by private security cameras, doorbell cameras or vehicle surveillance systems even when the altercation itself was not witnessed directly.
Police have not said whether video has been recovered.
Investigators will also need to determine how the confrontation began, whether it escalated from an argument and what actions each man took before the fatal injury occurred.
Those questions could become significant in determining the exact criminal theory ultimately presented by prosecutors.
No additional suspect has been announced.
Police chief calls investigation “thorough and diligent”
Beverly Hills Police Chief Max Subin said officers provided aid immediately after arriving and emphasized that detectives were continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the death.
“Our detectives are conducting a thorough and diligent investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident,” Subin said in the department’s statement.
Subin, who was sworn in as Beverly Hills’ 11th police chief in August, said the department remained focused on community safety and accountability for violence.
Police are asking witnesses to come forward
BHPD continues to seek information from anyone who witnessed the confrontation or knows what occurred before officers arrived.
Detectives can be reached at 310-285-2125.
The department also allows anonymous information to be submitted by texting TIP BHPDALERT to 888777, followed by the tip information.
Beverly Hills police maintain additional crime and anonymous-tip resources for residents who want to provide information or monitor public-safety activity.
Several central details remain unresolved, including the relationship between the two men, what triggered the altercation, how the fatal neck wound was inflicted and whether investigators recovered a weapon.
For now, one man is dead, Lawantara remains hospitalized under arrest on suspicion of murder, and Beverly Hills detectives say the investigation is continuing.
