Person of interest sought in connection to 2009, 2011 murders in Whittier area

WHITTIER, Calif. (KABC) -- A person of interest has been named in the 2009 murder of a local attorney, but that isn't the only murder the person may be involved in.

Richard Wall became a person of interest in two separate murders. One of those is the execution-style killing of prominent attorney Jeffrey Tidus. He was shot in the head as he returned to his Rolling Hills Estates home.

Tidus was involved in a lawsuit with Wall.

"In which Mr. Tidus was awarded a judgement in that case. He was murdered shortly after that," L.A. County sheriff's Lt. Victor Lewandowski said.

On Feb. 26, 2011, Juan Mendez was shot and killed in his Whittier apartment. He was also involved in a lawsuit with Wall and won it, according to authorities. Mendez was awarded money, but before he could collect it, he was murdered.

"Certainly in these two cases and it doesn't take much for someone to look and say this is very intriguing to us," Lewandowski said.

Wall is the owner of Welded Fixtures in Whittier. Investigators said until a few months ago, Wall was still in the area and coming to work. But when they checked with the business recently, they've been told he's on vacation.

When ABC7 went to the business Friday, they would not speak with Eyewitness News.

Investigators said Mendez worked at Welded Fixtures. The big question in his case is where is Wall? It appears Wall disappeared, investigators said, and they hope the public can help track him down.

"We have noticed that his house is up for sale so we're not at this point ready to say that he is a suspect in this case. Certainly given the circumstances surrounding both of these murders and the connection to Mr. Tidus and these civil actions, (Wall) is certainly somebody that we're interested in speaking with," Lewandowski said.

There is a reward of $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect in Tidus' murder.