74-year-old man dies after being hit with bat by neighbor in Whittier dispute, authorities say

WHITTIER, Calif. (KABC) -- A 74-year-old man died after being hit with a bat during a dispute with a neighbor Saturday night in Whittier, authorities said.

The incident was reported at 8:45 p.m. as an assault with a deadly weapon in the 16100 block of Marlinton Drive, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.

Deputies arrived to find the victim on the porch of his home, suffering from apparent head trauma, according to a news release issued Sunday. Paramedics were summoned and they pronounced the man dead at the scene.

The victim was later identified as David Stanley.

"The victim was discovered by his adult son, who heard a disturbance on the porch and went outside to investigate. It was reported that the victim was arguing with a neighbor" before the disturbance, the Sheriff's Department statement said.

The neighbor, a man in his late 20s, was described by the Sheriff's Department as a "suspect" "in custody" who was being interviewed as part of the ongoing investigation. His name was not released and no formal arrest had been announced as of Sunday afternoon.

The circumstances that led to the dispute were unclear.

A sheriff's spokesperson initially said the victim was 76 years old but the coroner's office later clarified that he was 74.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500, or anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).