Detectives said a gunman was lying in wait for a family of five when they pulled into their garage in the 11000 block of Kristi Court shortly after 8 p.m.
The family had just arrived from church when the suspect surprised them in the garage and demanded money. The father, 35-year-old Jose Antonio Parra, handed over their monthly mortgage payment - $1,800 in cash.
"They explained that they had to make a mortgage payment and that's why they had that much money on them," said Lt. Ed Hernandez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Determined that they had more money in the house, the suspect forced them to go inside.
The gunman told the mother and three children, ages 3, 5 and 6, to stay inside a downstairs bedroom and shut the door.
"There was additional conversation between the male victim and the suspect, and then sometime after that, the family heard three to four gunshots," Hernandez said.
When they came out, they found the father unresponsive on the ground, suffering from bullet wounds. The suspect was gone. He fled from the scene around 8:10-8:15 p.m.
The suspect was described as a Hispanic man, about 25 to 30 years old, 5-foot-7 and 140 pounds. He was wearing a black sweatshirt, clean cut and had a light skin complexion.
Detectives on Tuesday went door to door to businesses near Live Oak and Santa Anita avenues seeking surveillance video.
Neighbors described the family as polite and said they always kept to themselves.
"Complete, utter shock," said neighbor Dennis Ho. "This is a quiet neighborhood for something like this to happen. I'm totally, totally shocked. I'm at a loss for words."
Detectives said they believe the family was targeted but they don't know why.
Detectives said neighbors are not in any imminent danger, but many can't help but feel scared about what happened.
"Just a regular routine, everyday doings, you don't think of anything like that is going to happen to you," said neighbor Michael Derensiscky.
Detectives said the family ran a business.
Anyone with information was urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.