Woman found dead inside North Hollywood home; Glendale firefighter husband arrested
A Glendale firefighter was arrested after his wife was found dead inside a North Hollywood home on Wednesday morning, according to Los Angeles police.
LAPD Lt. Guy Golan said that a man walked into a police station around 4 a.m. and asked officers to conduct a welfare check on his wife.
When officers arrived at a home on the 5600 block of Satsuma Avenue, they found 55-year-old Mayra Jimenez dead inside. Police said she died from multiple blunt force trauma.
"We believe this was an incident of domestic violence; it was isolated and there is no threat to public safety at this time," Golan said.
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) confirmed Mayra Jimenez was a third-grade teacher at Wilshire Park Elementary School. The district sent a message to parents notifying them of the news and describing her as a beloved teacher, colleague and friend.
"We are heartbroken by this loss, and many of us are still processing this information, as we only just learned of it," the LAUSD statement said. "Our thoughts are with Mrs. Jimenez's family, loved ones and all who are grieving during this incredibly difficult time. We ask that the community respect the privacy of Mrs. Jimenez's family during this difficult time."
The LAPD detained Mayra Jimenez's husband at the time, and his arrest was announced a little before 7 p.m. after they conducted interviews, reviewed video evidence and processed the crime scene.
"Their investigation revealed that the victim and suspect were in a marital relationship and that this was an incident of domestic violence," said a news release from LAPD.
They had previously said that he was an off-duty member of the Glendale Fire Department.
Glendale Fire officials identified him as Firefighter/Paramedic Andrew Jimenez, 45, who has been on their staff since 2008. They said that he was placed off duty and on administrative leave immediately.
He was booked for murder and his bail was set at $2 million, police said.
"Our condolences are with the victim's family and loved ones," said a statement from Glendale Fire Chief Jeff Brooks. "We are prepared to support those impacted by this tragedy, and we are also ensuring our firefighters and staff have access to support resources as they process this loss."
Neighbors said that the incident has them on edge.
"It's horrible, I just can't fathom the thought, just that it's across the street," said Camille Cabrera. "It's like a horrific crime scene over there. I hear the detectives talking how it's like something out of a horror flick."
Another neighbor said that it's unusual for their normally quiet neighborhood to be swarmed by law enforcement.
"Unnerving. Very unnerving, because I've lived here for 25 years and nothing like this has ever happened," said another neighbor named Susan.
