Woman's beating death in Hollywood under investigation; Suspect arrested

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A murder investigation is underway in Hollywood, where a woman was found beaten to death in an apartment Wednesday.

Los Angeles Fire Department officials responded a 911 call around 12:30 p.m. in the 7000 block of Hawthorne Avenue. They found an 89-year-old woman with blunt force trauma dead at the scene.

Los Angeles police confirmed that the incident was being investigated as a murder. Police said they had detained a male suspect for questioning in the case.

They later arrested a 29-year-old man identified as Jerrod Vaile-Martindale, but did not say if that man was the same person who had been detained.

The man was booked on suspicion of murder and is being held in lieu of $2 million bail.

It was not immediately clear what the suspect's relationship was to the victim.

Authorities said they interviewed witnesses and tried to obtain any surveillance video that could help.

Neighbors and residents of the apartment building said they were shocked to hear about the incident.

The investigation was ongoing.