From Santa Monica Close Up:

"On Wednesday morning, April 23, 2025, at approximately 9:15 a.m., Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics and LAPD officers responded to reports of an unresponsive man lying near the public restrooms along Ocean Front Walk.

First responders assessed the individual and determined he was deceased at the scene. LAPD officers erected a privacy tent around the body as standard protocol and awaited the arrival of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.

Roughly ninety minutes later, coroner personnel arrived to examine and transport the body. The official cause of death has not yet been released. Authorities have not confirmed whether foul play or overdose is suspected.

The investigation is ongoing."

Santa Monica Close Up is a photo blog by Santa Monica based Photojournalist/Press photographer Fabian Lewkowicz. Fabian is the former staff photographer for the Santa Monica Daily Observer Press, Santa Monica Mirror, Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Corsair.

On Wednesday night, Venice Beach regular, Zachary "Turdle" Melton, 29, was fatally shot when he tried to intervene in an arguement between a woman and a man known in the area as "Prince Thomas" at the Dog Park at 1243 Pacific Avenue in Venice Beach.

According to witnesses, the shooter, who was said to be known registered sex offender named Tyrone "Prince Thomas" Jones, fled in a grey Maserati, which was found a few blocks away.

A search by polie at the time came up empty, but when the car was found, the registration listed a nearby apartment buulding. SWAT searched tha apartment at 26 Westminster Avenue, just a block from the dog park, on Thursday morning. The suspect was nowhere to be found and is still at large.

Friends of Zachary have been posting to social media. The girl who is pregnant with his child shared this::

The alleged shooter being sought by @LAPDPacific for the fatal shooting in Venice is a registered sex offender with an identical twin … why no BOLO pic.twitter.com/d6zosDOthE

— Michele McPhee (@MicheleMcPhee) April 4, 2025

After almost 3 months, homes on the beach in Malibu are finally being fully cleared of all fire debris.

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The City of Malibu, Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath from LA County’s Third Supervisorial District, LA County’s Third Supervisorial District, LA County Sheriff’s Department, LA County Public Works, Caltrans and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for an important discussion on the impacts of the Palisades Fire on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), its progress and ongoing recovery efforts.

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Touring the devastating damage from the Palisades Fire to all the homes on the hillside above the "Alphabet Streets" in the Pacific Palisades. These homes had beautiful views of the ocean, several are tagged as dangerous as they are in danger of falling onto the hilside.

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Beachside Benefit at Perry's Cafe on the beach in Santa Monica. Zuma Cars & Coffee gather at this event honoring the great Malibu, Altadena and Pasadena Fire Fighters. This event directly benefits California Fire Foundation, Pasadena Humane Society, and Palisades Forever, three incredible organizations assisting fire-impacted communities through emergency aid, pet rescue and care, and essential supplies for families in crisis.

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Cruising around the Venice Love Fest 2025 - a celebration of all things love in the heart of the Westside. This free community festival brings together an incredible lineup of live music, delicious food trucks, over 400 locally made brands and artists, beer gardens, games, and family-friendly activities on Venice Blvd in Downtown Mar Vista, CA

PACIFIC PALISADES A home on Castellammare Drive that survived the Palisades Fire was completely destroyed when the hill behind it came sliding down crushing it and covering the street.

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Several trash bins in the area have been set on fire over the past week.. On Sunday, arch 16, 2025, the trash bin behind the McDonald's next to the Santa Monica Pier was set on fire, this time a witness saw it happened and reported it. SMPD found the suspect a block away and he was identified and arrested. He was wearing a shirt that says "Not Above The Law".

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A updated tour of the current status of The Village (downtown area) of the Pacific Palisades.

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Touring the Pacific Palisades "Alphabet Streets" during the fire recovery clean up.

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A tour of the fire ravaged Malibu Coastline after the Phase 1 Clean Up, in which hazardous materials were removed from damaged properties. It appears that a lot of fire debris has been removed from several homes.

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Touring the businesses that where destroyed by the fire in Pacific Palisades as they enter "Phase 2" of the clean up.

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The storm drains on Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades Beaches the day after a powerful winter storm hit.

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Despite the city's health warnings about ash, chemicals, and debris from the Palisades Fire contaminating the ocean water, several surfers have been out catching waves.

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Several mudslides throughout fire burnt Pacific Palisades. Crews work to make the roads passable for vehicles.

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More destruction in Pacific Palisades. The latest storm washed away more a the remaining support of the already damaged Will Rogers Beach bike path bridge causing another portion of the bridge to collapse, sending more of it onto the beach.

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The EPA will using the Parking lot at Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades as a hazardous waste processing site. Concerned citizens took action, organizing a protest on Sunday, February 9, 2025 to demand that the site be relocated to a safer, more controlled environment.

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Touring the damage to Topanga Beach from the Palisades Fire.

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The environmentally sensitive Topanga Beach area is now a toxic waste processing site. The EPA has made it a sorting, repacking, and staging area for hazardous waste and debris from the Palisades Fire clean up. This is scheduled to go on for 3 months. Hazardous materials collected and packaged from properties will be brought into the staging area daily. Once there, materials will be:
• separated into waste streams,
• packaged for safe shipment and
• transported from the property for safe disposal.

For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.