Local News in Brief : Theft Complaint Leads to Arrest in Slaying
A Van Nuys woman who telephoned police Saturday morning claiming that she had been robbed on the street was later arrested on suspicion of stabbing to death an acquaintance whose body was found in a van in Sepulveda, Los Angeles police said.
Lt. Al Durrer said Charmaine Licue Turk, 36, was arrested when she admitted that the robbery story was false and led detectives to the van, which was parked near Nordhoff Street and Sepulveda Boulevard.
The body of a 33-year-old man with several stab wounds was found on the floor of the vehicle along with a knife believed to have been used in the killing, Durrer said. The victim’s name was being withheld pending notification of relatives.
Durrer said Turk telephoned police at 5:40 a.m. from a phone booth at Roscoe and Sepulveda boulevards and first told arriving officers that she had been robbed.
Turk, who had several minor cuts and bruises, then changed her story and said she had fought with the man, whom she knew, and stabbed him repeatedly, Durrer said.
Durrer said he did not know what prompted the argument.
Turk was arrested on suspicion of murder and was being held without bail in the Van Nuys jail.
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