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LAPD Searching Sherman Oaks Neighborhood For Murder Suspect

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A search is underway in the Studio City-Sherman Oaks area for a parolee suspected of murdering a Valley Village bride-to-be, then setting her house on fire.

Los Angeles police officers are searching an area bordered by Ventura Boulevard to Mulholland Drive and Coldwater Canyon Boulevard to Laurel Canyon Boulevard for 34-year-old murder suspect Omar Loera. Fryman Canyon and Wilacre Park are also being searched.

Loera, a transient parolee, is wanted in the killing of 34-year-old Chere Osmanhodzic, who was found stabbed to death July 24 in her burned Valley Village home.

Police began searching for Loera near Coldwater Canyon Avenue and Mulholland Drive at about 10 a.m., Los Angeles police Officer Norma Eisenman.

Chopper 9 showed police officers on horseback searching an open area. Police got a tip from a Parks and Rec employee who said he recognized Loera from the wanted flier. The employee was "fairly certain" he saw the suspect in Franklin Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains, LAPD Justin Eisenberg said.

"It's a big wide open area that would be a good place for our suspect to hide if he was trying to stay out of view," Eisenberg said. "Based on the type of terrain we have there, we brought in officers on horseback from our

Metropolitan division and officers on dirt bikes, and they fanned out -- about 40 officers -- in that park area and they're searching for our suspect."

Eisenberg said the sighting was unconfirmed, "but we're taking it very seriously. What's interesting about this is the proximity of the crime scene of Valley Village. It's very close."

Residents were advised to stay in their homes and call 911 if they see anything suspicious.

(©2010 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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