Man Found Dead Inside Vehicle Near Retail Area in Carson

An investigation is underway after officials found a man dead inside a vehicle parked near businesses in Carson during the early hours of Tuesday. Detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the 400 block of East Carson Plaza Drive after learning of  the incident that occurred just after 3:30 a.m., the agency said. A Sheriff’s Department news release earlier described it as a deadly stabbing, but Lt. Brandon Dean later told reporters that the cause of death was still pending and that it’s “unknown if there’s any stab wounds.” The victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was found in the front seat, Dean said. Video from the scene shows investigators surrounding a white sedan that appeared to have traces of blood on its exterior, and what looked like a trail of blood extended across the parking lot and into the street. Patricia Rivera, who works at an adjacent building in the business park, said workers at ASAP Drug Solutions — which administers anti-drug and alcohol programs — told her they recognized the victim as one of their clients. Rivera told KTLA she saw detectives retrieve a knife from her workplace’s parking lot. Deputies had blocked off the area, which has a number of fast-food restaurants and other businesses, so they could thoroughly assess the crime scene, Dean said. The scene was cleared around 5 p.m. Before that, authorities had asked the public to avoid the following streets: Carson Plaza Drive at Carson Plaza Center, Del Amo Boulevard at Carson Plaza Drive and Avalon Boulevard at Carson Plaza Court. Anyone with information can call homicide detectives at 323-890-5500. Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-8477, using the mobile app “P3 Tips” or visiting lacrimestoppers.org.