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1.13.2010

man arrested in little tokyo hotel murder

In Los Angeles, police have arrested a suspect in the stabbing death of 74-year-old Hideko Oyama, a Little Tokyo hotel manager who was found dead in her building last week: Man arrested in stabbing death of downtown L.A. hotel manager.

According to the LAPD, Jian Hong Li, a 39-year-old Chinese national who lived in the Chetwood Hotel, was taken into custody yesterday on suspicion of murder. Investigators said the motive for the stabbing was robbery.

Li, who had abandoned his room the day of the murder, became a person of interest for investigators. Detectives apparently followed leads from Los Angeles to Camarillo, only to discover him walking on 1st Street: Suspect Arrested In Hotel Manager's Slaying Was Found Walking Nearby.

He is being held in jail in lieu of $1 million bond. The police will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office in a couple of days. More here: Man Arrested in Hotel Murder. And last week's story on the murder here: Police pursue leads in Little Tokyo hotel manager's slaying.