Two Suspects Arrested in Christmas Day Slaying

LAWNDALE — Authorities arrested two men who are suspected of beating a 48-year-old father of nine to death during a botched Christmas Day robbery, a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department spokesman said Tuesday.

Jermaine Sims, 25, and Moses Turner, 35, were behind bars Monday, facing murder charges in connection with the death of Alan Nguyen, who was killed Dec. 25 while napping in his family’s liquor store, said Deputy Boris Nikolof.

A tip led to Sims’ arrest by his parole officer, Nikolof said. Turner was arrested Monday night by CHP officers during a routine traffic stop, Nikolof said.

Sgt. Joe Purcell said that Nguyen had been working for 16 hours at Wit’s Liquor Store and was asleep on a makeshift cot behind the counter when two men came in about 2:40 p.m.

Nguyen remained asleep while his daughter, Samantha, handed the robbers a bag full of cash, Purcell said. As they prepared to leave, one of them noticed the father was asleep and bludgeoned him to death, he said.