Intruder kills man after breaking into Valley Village apartment, LAPD says

VALLEY VILLAGE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles police released surveillance video of an intruder who they say broke into a Valley Village apartment and murdered a man inside.

Officers found the victim, 53-year-old Menashe Hidra, dead inside his apartment while conducting a welfare check about 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the 12600 block of Riverside Drive.

Hidra died after a physical altercation with the intruder, according to the LAPD.

The suspect was seen on video armed with a screwdriver, trying to get into apartments at Ashton Sherman Village on Riverside Drive.

LAPD also released a short video of the suspect and are asking for the public's help in identifying him.

Residents of the apartment complex are on edge and say they had warned management of possible trouble.

Many residents who didn't want to go on camera due to safety concerns say the suspect broke into a skylight in the ceiling of an empty apartment next door to the victim.

"He jumped the balcony, entered the victim's apartment, killed him, went back out, jumped the apartment again. Stayed there for a little bit and left," one person said.

Blood stains are still visible on the exterior wall between the two balconies.

Residents say the building has just hired security again following the murder, but they say they have complained to management about transients breaking into the complex, sleeping in the stairwells and recently living on the roof of the building. However, they say nothing has been done.

Detectives describe the suspect as between 30-40 years old, with black hair, weighing between 180-200 pounds, and 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall. He was wearing a dark colored jacket, a white shirt, and blue jeans.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact LAPD's Operation Valley Bureau at (818) 374-9550.