North Hollywood Man, 25, Arrested For Allegedly Murdering His Parents
NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — Authorities have arrested a 25-year-old North Hollywood man for allegedly murdering his parents.
Foothill Division Patrol officers responded to a resident's concern regarding a parked car on Webb Avenue near Cantara Street in Sun Valley Friday afternoon.
Inside the vehicle, officers discovered the body of a 47-year-old woman who had been the victim of foul play. The decedent was later identified as Veronica Mercado, a resident of North Hollywood.
During a follow up to her residence in the 8100 block of Radford Street in North Hollywood, officers discovered a second body in the residence identified as 51-year-old Alexandro Mercado, the victim's husband. Officials said he also had met with foul play.
After getting a search warrant at the residence, detectives arrested the couple's 25-year-old son, Jonathan.
Bobby Kaple, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, spoke to the couple's stunned neighbors Saturday.
Carlos Paz, the next door neighbor said, "We were just kind of shocked." Paz said he heard screaming and a loud argument coming from the Mercardo house early Friday morning.
Paz also told Kaple that when police arrested the son, he was heard laughing. "He seemed pretty calm. Like there was nothing wrong. It's not normal. Who does that? Both of your parents just passed away and you are just going to laugh at the situation? Doesn't make any type of sense."
Kaple also spoke to Neyely Arcos who called police about the suspicious car. "On the top of the car, there was a drop of blood and it was already dry. So you could tell it was blood. That's when I decided to call the cops."
There was no word on how the victims were killed of what a possible motive may have been.
Anyone who may have information about this crime is asked to call Foothill Division Homicide Detectives Jones and Santana at (818) 834-3115.
