The 29-year-old man suspected of breaking into Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ home on Sunday, April 21, may have served time in connection with a violent robbery in Massachusetts nine years ago.
A person with the same name and birthdate as the burglary suspect, Ephraim Hunter, was sentenced to five to seven years in custody after a conviction for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, possession of heroin and armed robbery in 2015, according to court records.
Neither the Los Angeles Police Department nor the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office would confirm that the Hunters are the same person.
The Massachusetts robbery happened on March 2, 2015, in the city of Millis.
According to court records, a man made arrangements to buy $150 of an illegal drug from Hunter and brought around $600 with him to an apartment complex parking lot. Hunter arrived with a man and a woman. The victim arrived and when he left a car and entered a van, the three attackers piled on and beat him. One yelled, “Stab him, stab him, kill him, kill him.” One was seen hitting DeCosta with a “shiny object.”
DeCosta escaped without his pants or shoes.
Detectives said they found a hammer and snow brushes nearby and that Hunter had $583 on him.
Bass, speaking to reporters Monday during a budget briefing, praised the LAPD.
“I just want to thank the Los Angeles Police Department again for responding to the incident at the Getty House yesterday,” Bass said. “Investigations are ongoing, so I won’t have any further comment at this moment.”
The break-in happened at 6:40 a.m. Sunday at Getty House, the LA mayor’s official residence, in the Windsor Square neighborhood. Someone smashed a window and entered the home. Police responding to an alarm arrested Hunter. Bass and her family were present but were not harmed.
Police have not said whether Bass was targeted.
City News Service contributed to this report.
