Tumble Dryer Death Believed Murder

Huntington Park police said they believe an 18-year-old textile company employee was deliberately placed in a huge commercial dryer where he suffered fatal injuries as he was repeatedly thrown against its revolving metal cylinder in a textile processing plant Friday.

“It is very unlikely that he got in there by himself, it had to be latched from the outside, we’re investigating it as a murder,” said Lt. Dan Leili. Leili said that homicide investigators were questioning all of the 65 employees of American Textile Conditioners on Santa Fe Avenue.

The man’s name was withheld pending notification of relatives. He died at County-USC Medical Center eight hours after a fellow employee opened the door of the dryer and found him. There were no clothes in the dryer, only the victim. It was unknown how long he had been tumbling in the dryer.

County Fire Capt. John Laur said the victim suffered numerous fractures including one to his skull along with multiple cuts and bruises and possible internal injuries.

Leili said it was too early to determine a possible motive for the crime or if more than one person was involved. Company officials could not be reached.