Twist Emerges in La Crescenta Killings

A 20-year-old woman who lives across the street from the school where two boys were beaten to death last week has been arrested by Glendale police on suspicion of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, officials said Monday.

The woman’s attorney said her arrest stems from an investigation of the boys’ deaths.

Cristina E. Kim, of La Crescenta, was being held Monday in Glendale City Jail on $500,000 bond, after her arrest Sunday night, police said.

Glendale Police Capt. Jim Swinford declined to discuss the allegations against Kim or say whether she was connected to the July 23 deaths.

He said his department had imposed a news blackout on information related to the killings at Valley View Elementary School.

“We’re not going to release further information on this case because it could compromise our investigation,� Swinford said.

But Kim’s attorney, Eric W. Lee, said her arrest stemmed from the schoolyard investigation, although he refused to provide any details.

“She does tangentially fit into this case but only tangentially,� Lee said Monday night.

He said Kim was not responsible for the deaths of 14-year-old Blaine Talmo Jr. and his friend, Chris McCulloch, 13, on the blood-splattered school playground.

“My client did not commit murder,� Lee said.

Glendale Unified School District Board of Education member Chuck Sambar confirmed that police had connected Kim to the boys’ deaths, but Sambar did not disclose details.

“All I know is that there was an involvement, but I don’t know exactly how she was involved,� said Sambar, who has been briefed by police because the deaths took place on school property and involved Glendale district students.

“For the life of me, I can’t understand where this case is going,� Sambar said.

Authorities have charged 15-year-old Michael H. Demirdjian, of La Crescenta, with two counts of murder and two counts of robbery.

Demirdjian, who lives near the school, is scheduled to be arraigned as an adult Aug. 9.

Adam Walker, 19, of La Crescenta, was originally arrested on suspicion of murder by Glendale police, but those allegations were later dropped.

Prosecutors last week charged Walker with an unrelated burglary in Burbank.

Kim’s lawyer would not comment when asked if Kim knew Demirdjian or Walker.

Kim, whom a friend said was a student at UC Irvine, is scheduled to be arraigned today on charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, said a Glendale jail custody officer.

Contributing to this story were Glendale News Press reporter Buck Wargo and Times staff writer Andrew Blankstein.