LONG BEACH – Authorities have arrested two men allegedly involved in the fatal shooting of a man whose body was found at the scene of a residential fire in Long Beach in March.
Willie Smith, 54, of Long Beach was found dead by Long Beach Fire Department personnel who were sent to the 5300 block of Pine Avenue on a report of a structure fire on March 13 at about 6:30 a.m., according to the Long Beach Police Department.
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner, Smith’s cause of death was “multiple gunshot wounds.”
“Homicide Detectives responded to the scene and worked with the LBFD Arson Investigators to further investigate the death of Smith,” police said in a statement.
“At the time of the incident, this was classified as an undetermined death. Since then, the Los Angeles County Department of the Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death as homicide,” police said.
“Through their investigation, detectives identified Preston Jabari Prince, a 31-year-old resident of Long Beach, and Kevin Anthony Leslie Jr, a 27- 27-year-old resident of Los Angeles as the suspects,” police said.
On Friday, detectives Arrested Prince in Long Beach, police said. Leslie was arrested on Thursday in Los Angeles, according to police and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Prince was booked on suspicion of murder and for a parole violation and was being held without bail, police said. Leslie was booked on suspicion of murder, and was being held on $2 million bail, police said.
“Detectives are still actively investigating the motive,” police said. “Detectives will present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration early next week.”
Anyone with information on the case was urged to call LBPD Detectives Michael Hutchinson or Lisette Temblador at 562-570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-TIPS or at lacrimestoppers.org.
