19-Year-Old Arrested for Stabbing Homeless Man to Death in Beverly Hills Alley

Conoray Lawantara, 19, was arrested on suspicion of murder after a late-night altercation in a Beverly Hills alleyway left an unidentified homeless man dead.

Teen Charged With Murder After Deadly Knife Attack in Beverly Hills Alleyway

A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following a fatal stabbing in a Beverly Hills alleyway late Sunday night, NY Post Metro reports. The victim, an unidentified homeless man, died at a local hospital after suffering a serious stab wound to his neck.

Conoray Lawantara was taken into custody after the altercation on the 400 block of North Palm Drive — behind an apartment building where neighbors say he recently moved in with his girlfriend. The Beverly Hills Police Department received the initial call at approximately 11:39 p.m., reporting a fight between two men in the alley.

Officers arrived to find Lawantara and the homeless man at the scene. The victim was treated on site before being transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Lawantara was also hospitalized for injuries sustained during the incident and remained there as of the initial reports.

Neighbors told the California Post that the homeless man had been looking through trash cans in the alley when Lawantara confronted him and then stabbed him multiple times.

Lawantara's Statements Captured on Video

Several videos recorded at the scene show the moments immediately following the fatal encounter. In the footage, Lawantara is seen sitting on the ground in handcuffs while speaking with officers.

"He reached for me and at that time I produced a CCW [concealed carry weapon] — it's a 3.9 inch knife," Lawantara is heard telling police. "I went for him because he was pulling at me."

He told officers he warned the man to let go, but the man refused. "He kept pulling at me," Lawantara can be heard saying.

In a separate clip, Lawantara describes his attempts to disengage. "He kept going after me," he tells investigators. "I tried going away."

Another video captured the scene seconds after the alleged attack, showing the homeless man lying in the alley, audibly moaning.

Upscale Neighborhood Shaken

The alley behind North Palm Drive is a known gathering spot for unhoused individuals, according to local residents, who added that trouble there is uncommon. Neighbors said Lawantara and his girlfriend had moved into the area only a few weeks prior.

The killing unsettled a neighborhood where properties regularly sell for $2 million or more. Residents described a graphic aftermath, with one neighbor telling the California Post: "The police were trying to revive this poor man that was lying there with blood, like it was in 'CSI'" — and others reporting "pools of blood all around."

Lawantara remains in police custody on suspicion of murder. The identity of the deceased victim has not yet been released.

Source: NY Post Metro