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Suspected Kidnapper Dies In Fight With Victim

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A 51-year-old man who died following a fight at a gas station in the unincorporated Athens Village area had kidnapped the 44-year-old man he fought with, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department homicide detectives determined Monday.

Lester Beasley of Compton implied he had a gun and got into the victim's car, sheriff's Deputy Lillian Peck said.

Beasley drove the victim to the gas station in the 100 block of East El Segundo Boulevard, near Main Street, to have him withdraw money from the automated teller machine, Peck said.

However, the victim then tried to escape by fighting with Beasley and getting public attention. Convenience store employees called 911, Peck said.

During that fight, Beasley received traumatic injuries and was dead by the time paramedics arrived. His death was reported at 9:16 p.m. Sunday, according to Peck.

The kidnapping occurred in Willowbrook, although the precise location was not made clear, Peck said.

It is not known what happened to the kidnapping victim, Peck said.

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