Slaying Suspect Also Wanted in Robbery

A man wanted in a Long Beach slaying Wednesday morning robbed a Topanga Canyon resident later that day and eluded Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies during a four-hour search, authorities said Thursday.

Deputy Bill Linnemeyer said Jorge Martinez, 23, robbed Clifton B. Lee, 52, of $80 at his home on Summit Road at 2:30 p.m., then left in a waiting car driven by another man. Deputies summoned to the house saw the car speeding away and chased the vehicle, he said.

Near Topanga Canyon Road and Mulholland Drive, Martinez leaped from the car and fled on foot, Linnemeyer said. Deputies were unable to find him during a search by helicopter and dogs, he said.

Lee was not injured in the robbery, Linnemeyer said. Lee told deputies that Martinez informed him during the robbery that he had killed a man earlier in the day, Linnemeyer said. Lee and Martinez apparently did not know each other, deputies said.

The driver of the car was questioned by police and later released, Linnemeyer said. The man had been unaware of the robbery or the earlier slaying, he said.

Long Beach Police Detective Larry Stoops said Martinez had reportedly shot and killed a 23-year-old man at 7:10 a.m. Wednesday. Martinez had broken into the apartment of the victim, who was not identified pending notification of relatives, in an attempt to confront his ex-girlfriend who was staying at the apartment, Stoops said.