Murder suspect arrested in random attack of LADWP worker; bail set at $2 million

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A 22-year-old man has been arrested for the murder of a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power worker who was attacked July 2 in downtown, authorities announced Friday.

The suspect, Gerson Carrillo Torres, was detained by officers on Thursday near the intersection of East Third and Wall streets, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement. The location is less than a mile southwest of where the attack occurred.

Torres was later arrested after detectives connected him to the case, the news release said. He was booked for murder and held on $2 million bail.

According to investigators, 70-year-old Julius Rondez was walking in the 400 block of East Temple Street when he was approached by a man and knocked to the ground. The victim's head struck the pavement as a result of the unprovoked attack, the LAPD said.

Rondez was transported to a hospital in critical condition. He died the following day.

Rondez was a father of three and a grandparent of five. His family said he was guided by a philosophy of robust optimism.

"Just keep going, do your best, keep working hard. A lot of these things happen all the time, and you just have to keep going, keep happy, keep on loving and take care of each other," his daughter Janice Rondez said.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call LAPD homicide detectives at (213) 833-3750.