Father suspected of killing daughter’s ex-boyfriend in Palmdale

A 29-year-old man was shot to death in Palmdale, allegedly by the father of a former girlfriend, authorities announced Tuesday.

Deputies from the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station were called at 4:47 p.m. Monday regarding a domestic violence incident in the 37000 block of Sierra Highway, near Avenue S,  where they found the victim, Giovannie Gutierrez, unresponsive in the street with a gunshot wound, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau reported.

Gutierrez had been in his white Chrysler 300M sedan, chasing the former girlfriend who was driving a gray compact car. The cars driven by Gutierrez and his former girlfriend collided at least once during the chase, authorities said.

The cars both stopped in the middle of Sierra Highway north of Avenue S where the ex-boyfriend Gutierrez attempted to force entry into the woman’s car as she was seeking help from family members who had called 911, authorities said.

As the ex-boyfriend was attempting to gain entry into the woman’s car, a white Ford Ranger pickup truck arrived at the scene. Jose G. Mendoza, the father of Gutierrez’s former girlfriend, was a passenger in the pickup truck. Mendoza got out of the pickup truck, approached Gutierrez and shot him once in the head, authorities said.

Mendoza is described as being 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing 140 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. The Littlerock resident is believed to be armed with a semi-automatic handgun and should not be approached.

Anyone with information regarding this shooting should call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.

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