Sun Valley Man Held in New Year’s Murder
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A Sun Valley man has been arrested in the stabbing death of a man early New Year’s Day in a bar filled with celebrants, Los Angeles police said.
Uriel Cuevas, 21, was being held without bail at the North Hollywood Division jail on suspicion of murder, police said Saturday.
Police said Cuevas stabbed Francisco Benitez, 36, of Sun Valley in a dispute over a drug purchase at Pixie’s Bar about 1:30 a.m. Friday. Cuevas was standing outside the rear door of the Sunland Avenue bar when he called inside and asked Benitez to join him, officers said.
Benitez walked outside and was stabbed several times in the chest, police said. The wounded man staggered back into the bar, bleeding from his injuries, and collapsed on the floor. Paramedics pronounced Benitez dead at the scene.
Police said Cuevas was arrested about 6:30 p.m. Friday but did not provide further details.
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