Man Killed in Fight at Van Nuys House

A 31-year-old transient was shot to death early Sunday morning at a Van Nuys house that neighbors say is often used for prostitution and selling narcotics, police said.

Van Nuys police, who had been alerted by a witness, arrived about 4:45 a.m. and found the victim’s body in the living room of a house in the 15800 block of Marlin Place, said homicide Detective Jim Vojtecky.

The victim’s name was withheld pending notification of his family. Vojtecky said he was killed by one shotgun blast to his upper body.

William Scott Carter, 27, an acquaintance of the victim who lives at the house, was arrested several hours later on suspicion of murder. He was being held without bail at the Van Nuys jail.

Witnesses told police that 15 people were at the house smoking rock cocaine when an argument, either about drugs or a woman, broke out between Carter and the victim. The victim armed himself with a knife and Carter pulled out a shotgun, firing one round, Vojtecky said.

Although Carter fled, an anonymous caller tipped police to his whereabouts and he was arrested at another house in Van Nuys a short time later, police said.