An infamous Los Angeles cop-turned-killer’s handgun found during an investigation into a $1 million armed robbery in Beverly Hills
Two South American nationals, part of a gang targeting tourists in Los Angeles, were charged with stealing a $1 million Patek Philippe watch at gunpoint from a man dining with his family at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Aug. 10, as reported by the US District Attorney’s Central District of California Office.
Law enforcement tracked down the alleged perpetrators to an Airbnb in Exposition Park, about 10 miles from the hotel, where a search warrant was executed, leading to the discovery of the handgun registered to former LAPD officer Christopher Dorner.
Christopher Dorner, known for a 2013 manhunt after killing four people, including a police officer, and wounding three others, ended his life during a shootout with law enforcement in the San Bernardino Mountains.
The Glock 21 .45 caliber handgun, once owned by Dorner, was found hidden inside a pillowcase during the raid on the Airbnb property.
The suspects’ possession of Dorner’s firearm and its potential use in the robbery remain unclear, with Homeland Security Investigations, Beverly Hills Police Department, and the Blythe, California Police Department conducting the investigation.
The two suspects, Jamer Mauricio Sepulveda Salazar, 21, and Jesus Eduardo Padron Rojas, 19, were arrested during a traffic stop in a Chevrolet Equinox, linked to another armed robbery in Beverly Hills on Aug. 5, where a $30,000 Rolex was stolen.
Sepulveda, a Columbian national, faces charges of interference with commerce by robbery and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, while Padron, a Venezuelan national, is charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.
If convicted, Sepulveda could face life in federal prison, while Padron could face up to 20 years. Both are scheduled for arraignment in September at the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
