West LA man allegedly kills landlord in apparent murder-suicide

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Police say a dispute between a tenant and his landlord led to an apparent murder-suicide in West Los Angeles.

Police were called to the 2400 block of Colby Avenue just after midnight Saturday where they found 80-year-old Alphonse Bernardin Jr., seated in a chair with two gunshot wounds to the chest. He died at the scene.

Authorities later discovered the body of Bernadin's tenant just outside the rear door of the house with a gun next to him. Police say the tenant shot himself in the head after killing the elderly man.

Neighbors say the 56-year-old renter lived in a converted garage on the property for about 15 years, and until recently he and the owner had been close.

"The sad part about it is it came really abruptly," said neighbor Edilberto Legasti. "There was no signs of this coming and I could never imagine, you know, they were like friends, almost like brothers."

Bernadin's wife has reportedly been very ill recently and has been staying with relatives.

It's not clear what the disagreement between the two men was about. The identity of the renter has not been released yet.

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west los angeles, los angeles news, amy powell

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