News Releases & Advisories

April 24, 2025: District Attorney Hochman Announces Felony Animal Cruelty Charge in Second Recent Case Captured on Video

LONG BEACH, CA — Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced today a felony animal cruelty charge against a man seen on surveillance video viciously abusing his young dog in Long Beach — a disturbing act that marks the second felony animal cruelty case captured on camera filed by the Office this week.

April 24, 2025: District Attorney Hochman Announces Man Charged With Vandalizing Trees in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced that a 44-year-old man was charged today with cutting down multiple trees across the City of Los Angeles with a chainsaw.

April 21, 2025: District Attorney Hochman Announces Charges Against Man Accused of Beating His Dog with a Metal Chain

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced today that a 40-year-old man has been charged with felony animal cruelty for allegedly beating his American Micro Bully with a metal chain leash in a Downtown Los Angeles apartment building.

April 18, 2025: District Attorney Hochman Announces Humberto Duran Found Factually Innocent of 1993 East Los Angeles Murder

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced that today Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge H. Clay Jacke II found Humberto “Beto” Duran factually innocent of a 1993 East Los Angeles gang murder, for which he spent 30 years in prison. District Attorney Hochman appeared in court today to state on the record the Office’s support for Mr. Duran’s motion for factual innocence.

April 17, 2025: Court to Weigh Admissibility of Menendez Risk Assessment Report, Recusal Request

VAN NUYS, CA — Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced today that Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic has scheduled a hearing on May 9 to determine the admissibility of recently completed Comprehensive Risk Assessments concerning Lyle and Erik Menendez, who are currently undergoing resentencing proceedings.

April 15, 2025: District Attorney Hochman Announces Mother Charged with Murdering Her 7-Year-Old Child in Van Nuys

VAN NUYS, CA — Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced today that Graciela Castellanos, 37, is charged with murder in the drowning death of her 7-year-old daughter in Van Nuys on April 11.

April 11, 2025: Former LAPD Officer Pleads Guilty to Murder in Drunk Driving Crash That Killed Three Family Members

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced that former Los Angeles Police Department officer Edgar Verduzco, 34, pleaded guilty today to three counts of murder for driving under the influence of alcohol and killing a mother, father and their 19-year-old son on the 605 Freeway in 2017.

April 11, 2025: Court Denies DA’s Motion Withdrawal, Orders Menendez Brothers Resentencing Hearing

VAN NUYS, CA — Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced today that Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic has rejected the District Attorney’s Office request to withdraw a resentencing motion filed by the prior administration on behalf of Lyle and Erik Menendez. The Court will proceed with a resentencing hearing on April 17 and 18 at the Van Nuys Courthouse.

April 11, 2025: District Attorney Hochman Announces Guilty Verdict in Murder of Renowned Hairdresser Fabio Sementilli by his Wife

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced that a jury today convicted Monica Sementilli of murdering her husband, renowned hairdresser Fabio Sementilli, in 2017.

April 10, 2025: District Attorney Hochman Announces Downey Priest Charged With Committing Multiple Lewd Acts on a Child

DOWNEY, CA – Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced today that a Downey priest has been charged with committing multiple sex crimes against a child between February and March of this year.

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