A homeless man accused of beating an 84-year-old man and setting him on fire in downtown Los Angeles has been charged with murder in an attack the prosecutors described brutal, callous and extreme.
Lavonta Wilder, 40, was charged in the killing of Bang Cho, who was living with dementia and had wandered from a convalescent home, according to the county prosecutor’s office. Cho was sitting on Sixth Street between Hope and Grand Avenue when he walked behind Wilder and grabbed a bag her was carrying.
Wilder allegedly punched and kicked Cho, lifted him up over his shoulder and slammed him to the ground before setting the fire, prosecutors said.
“This case involves an elderly man who was disoriented and living with dementia, conditions that made him particularly vulnerable,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a news release announcing the charges. “Our thoughts are with the victim’s family as they endure this unimaginable tragedy.
“The level of violence alleged here is brutal, callous and extreme, and our prosecutors will pursue this case with the urgency it demands to ensure accountability and justice for the victim and his loved ones.”
The attack was reported Sunday just before midnight.
Cho died the following day at a hospital. Wilder was taken into custody near the site of the attack.
Wilder was charged with one count of murder and faces a special allegation of having a prior serious felony. His arraignment was continued Thursday to May 21 and he is being held in lieu of $2,050,000 bail.
Wilder faces up to life in prison if convicted as charged. It was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
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