Man dead after his car set ablaze in South Los Angeles

A suspect remains at large after a car with a man sleeping inside was set on fire early Sunday morning, ultimately leading to the sleeping man’s death.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the arson occurred around 1:40 a.m. in the 400 block of East 102^nd Street in the Green Meadows neighborhood of Los Angeles. 

The suspect walked up to the man’s car as he was sleeping and threw a flammable liquid inside before intentionally igniting the fire, police said.

Video footage from the scene shows the car completely engulfed in flames, and once firefighters were able to put out the blaze, all that was left of the vehicle were charred metal fragments. 

The victim, a man in his 50s, was found suffering from burn wounds near a vehicle.

He has not been identified, but according to police, he was experiencing homelessness and using his vehicle for shelter. Residents in the area said the man was well-known in the community and had a kind soul.

He was transported to a nearby hospital with third-degree burns where he was originally listed in stable condition but later updated to critical condition. 

He later succumbed to his wounds, police said Monday morning.

The owner of a nearby convenience store said the man’s car had been parked in the same spot for nearly a month, but that he had never come in contact with the victim. 

Throughout the day, neighbors and locals who knew the victim created a makeshift memorial to pay their respects. His identity has not been released.

The pavement where the car was set ablaze was severely damaged. No suspect description has been released as the LAPD continues the investigation. 

Nancy Fontan contributed to this report.