Pasadena stabbing: Victim dies at hospital; suspect arrested in Los Angeles, held on $2 million bail

PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- A 52-year-old man died after being stabbed Friday morning at an apartment complex in Pasadena, and a suspect was arrested hours later on suspicion of murder, authorities said.

The victim was identified as Byron Young Nettles, who was attacked shortly after 9 a.m. in the 100 block of South Euclid Avenue, the Pasadena Police Department said in a Saturday statement. He succumbed to his wounds after undergoing surgery at a hospital.

Officers set up a perimeter around the crime scene and a manhunt was launched for the suspect, who fled on foot. A block-by-block search, involving helicopters and K-9 units, was conducted in an area bounded by Green Street and California Boulevard, from Los Robles Avenue to Marengo Avenue, said police Lt. Jason Clawson. Nearby Mayfield Junior High School was placed on lockdown for several hours.

Detectives subsequently asked the U.S. Marshal's Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force to conduct surveillance in Los Angeles.

Telly R. Johnson, 41, was taken into custody without incident just before 9:30 p.m. in the 1900 block of Cordova Street in Los Angeles, the news release said. He was booked at the Pasadena city jail and held on $2 million bail.

"Preliminary investigation suggests the incident was not random in nature," the police statement said. "A motive for the stabbing remains under investigation."

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call Pasadena police at (626) 744-6477. To report information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).