UPDATE: At 7:30 PM, scanner tells us that the deputies are wrapping it up for the night.
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6:15 PM: Sheriffs are now looking for Kevin Pochter, 53, of Huntington Beach, who is the suspect in the murder of Dean Ron Albert of Arcadia, 55 who was found beside the road on Chantry Flat Thursday. Sheriffs are at the Pinecrest Gate, and are looking around the area of Henninger Flats and Mt. Wilson Toll road right now.
UPDATE: Following is a message that went out this afternoon over the Nixle system about the search. Apparently the suspect may have been seen in the area above Eaton Canyon.
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Sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau - Special Weapons Team deputies are continuing the search for a man suspected of murder in the San Gabriel Mountains above Arcadia and Monrovia.
Suspect Kevin Pocher is a 53-year-old White male resident of Huntington Beach. He is 6 feet tall, 175 pounds, and bald with blue eyes. He is wearing dark clothing.
He is considered ARMED and DANGEROUS.
He is an experienced hiker and was last seen hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains above the cities of Arcadia and Monrovia on Saturday evening, April 30, 2011.
The incident began around 5:40 Thursday (04/28/2011) evening when Sheriff's Homicide detectives responded to the Chantry Flats Recreation Area, Angeles National Forest, unincorporated area near Sierra Madre, regarding a shooting death investigation.
Investigators learned that a passerby discovered the victim lying on the side of Big Santa Anita Canyon Road, south of the Chantry Flats Recreation Area.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies from Temple Sheriff's Station were notified and responded to the location. The victim, who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body, was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The victim has been identified as Dean Ron Albert, a 53-year old White male. The victim and suspect are lifetime friends.
The suspect was last seen hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains above Arcadia and Monrovia on Saturday evening, April 30, 2011.
On Friday, April 30, 2011, homicide investigations sought the public's help in locating the victim's vehicle that was taken from the murder site. The vehicle was described as a silver, 1993 BMW 740 series, 4 door sedan. The California license plate is 3XKB366. At approximately 11:00AM Saturday (04/30/2011) morning, the victim's car was located in the parking lot of the Mount Wilson Observatory, San Gabriel Mountains. Witnesses recognized the vehicle after seeing a description of the silver sedan in a local newspaper. Deputies from Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station responded to the parking lot and recovered the vehicle.
Deputies from Crescenta Valley, Temple, and San Dimas Sheriff's Stations as well as officers from Arcadia, Sierra Madre, and Monrovia Police Departments spent the rest of the day searching for suspect Kevin Pochter, who is wanted for the murder of Dean Albert, in the area between the Mount Wilson Observatory and the Chantry Flats Recreational Area.
On Sunday morning May 1, 2011, team members from the Sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau and Emergency Services Details resumed a ground search for suspect Kevin Pochter. An air search is also being conducted by sheriff's helicopter Air-Rescue 5.
Over 62 square miles of rugged terrain have been searched
Deputies and search and rescue personnel from Crescenta Valley, Temple, and San Dimas Stations are monitoring the hiking trails and informing hikers about the continuing search for murder suspect Kevin Pochter who is armed and dangerous.
If anyone sees Pocher or knows of his whereabouts they should not take any action, but immediately call 911.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau , 323-890-5500. Attention: DETECTIVE RAY LUGO at (323) 890-5632 or SERGEANT JOE RAMIREZ at (323) 890-5500. File Number 011-05214-0551-011.
If you prefer to provide information ANONYMOUSLY, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
A Special Bulletin with a photograph and information regarding Suspect Pochter, issued by Sheriff's Homicide Bureau, is available by contacting Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau at (323) 267-4800.
