LASD asks for help in finding suspect wanted in shooting deaths of mother, daughter in Compton

COMPTON, Calif. (CNS) -- The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Wednesday sought the public's help in finding the main suspect in the shooting deaths of a 45-year-old mother and her 22-year-old daughter in Compton last month.

Family members joined Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators at a morning news conference Wednesday at the department's Homicide Bureau in Monterey Park to make a public plea for assistance.

La'von Hall and her daughter Ma'Laysia Martin were shot around 7 p.m. April 1 at Caldwell Street and Central Avenue, according to the sheriff's department.

Deputies found the mother in the street west of the intersection and her daughter in the passenger seat of a vehicle east of the intersection, both suffering from gunshot wounds, officials said. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said the women were in their vehicle on Caldwell and stopped at the signal when a vehicle pulled alongside them and the suspect opened fire before driving away southbound on Central Avenue.

Days after the killings, sheriff's officials identified Hall's ex- boyfriend -- 41-year-old Donte Brown -- as a suspect in the killings, but he remains at large.

Authorities said Brown is known to frequent the Compton and Long Beach areas and should be considered armed and dangerous. He was described as 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing 245 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

"I don't know who thinks this is okay -- to try to hide this person," said BA Adams, a relative of the deceased who called for justice for the grieving family. "I'm from the streets. I know everybody is talking about snitching ... but if you think it's okay for a man to kill two innocent women, you've got a problem."

Compton Mayor Emma Sharif also spoke at the briefing, calling domestic violence a "silent epidemic."

"While the investigation is ongoing, the allegations that this tragedy stems from domestic violence is particularly troubling," Sharif said.

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors previously announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect responsible for the fatal shooting of Hall and Martin.

Anyone with information regarding the suspect or the shooting was urged to contact the sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.