Pasadena stabbing victim's cousin arrested for murder

PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- A man was arrested on suspicion of murder after allegedly stabbing his chef cousin and his cousin's wife to death in Pasadena Monday morning.

Jacob Mallory Bersson, 29, attacked Lawrence Bressler, 50, and Denise Bressler, 64, in the apartment where all three lived in the 200 block of North Madison Avenue.

"Mr. and Mrs. Bressler were repeatedly stabbed inside the apartment they shared with suspect Bersson," Pasadena police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said. "Some time during the assault, Mr. Bressler called 911 for help and identified his cousin Jacob Bersson as the suspect."

Bersson was found and taken into custody about a block from the crime scene.

Larry Bressler was the director of operations at Chefs Center of California, a commercial food preparation and education center. He had also taught at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena for 11 years.

"Larry was an esteemed and well-regarded member of our team and the community at large," the center said in a statement on Monday. "He will be greatly missed."

The motive for the stabbing remains unknown. Bersson is being held on $1 million bail. He is set to be arraigned at the Pasadena courthouse Wednesday.

A memorial is scheduled at the Chefs Center of California at 45 North San Gabriel Boulevard in Pasadena on Oct. 26 at 3 p.m.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information was asked to contact Pasadena police detectives at (626) 744-4511.