MID-CITY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A homeless woman has been charged with murder after she allegedly broke into a Mid-City home and shot a man during a robbery.
The victim of the shooting has been identified as Michael Latt, 33, a philanthropist well-known in Hollywood circles.
Latt founded the Lead with Love organization in 2019 and reportedly was successful in getting big names in the entertainment industry involved in charitable causes.
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Deadline reports that Latt’s brother is Franklin Latt, head of talent at the powerful Creative Artists Agency, and his stepmother is Michelle Satter, an executive who has worked with the Sundance Film Festival for four decades and is expected to accept an honorary Oscar next year for that work.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office filed charges of murder and burglary with a firearm enhancement against suspect Jameelah Elena Michl, 36, believed to be a homeless woman in the Los Angeles area. She was being held on $3 million bail.
The incident happened around 6 p.m. in the 900 block of Alandele Avenue. Police said when officers arrived, they discovered Latt had been shot by an intruder.
Police said Michl stayed at the scene before she was taken into custody. Michl was living in her vehicle, according to police, which was seized as evidence.
“I saw somebody standing right here on the street with her hands up so I’m assuming that’s her, and there was a conversation about her car being parked on the street,” said neighbor Averie Shevin, who spoke with Eyewitness News on Tuesday.
Shevin said Latt lived with his girlfriend and their pets. She said Latt’s mom had just arrived to take him to a movie.
“I said, ‘How is he? Is he going to be OK?’ and she said, ‘I don’t know if he’s going to make it,’ and my heart just stopped,” said Shevin.
Anyone with information is urged to contact West Bureau Homicide Investigators at (213)382-9470. If you’d like to remain anonymous, you can call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or visit the Crime Stoppers website.