FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 27th, 2021

Contact

Brandie N. Harris, Fiancée of Akeem Coburn & LA City Employee, 310-738-3059 | JusticeForAJCoburn@gmail.com (Available to coordinate interviews) 

Branimir Kvartuc, Office of Councilmember Buscaino, 213-248-7954 | branimir.kvartuc@lacity.org

Martin Marrufo, IBEW, 213-219-7341 | mmarrufo@ibewlocal18.org

Detective Roger Fontes, Los Angeles Police Department, 323-786-5111 | 34970@lapd.online

 

AS ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY NEARS, CITY, IBEW & LAPD LEADERS RENEW CALL FOR INFORMATION IN THE UNSOLVED MURDER OF BELOVED LADWP EMPLOYEE 

 

LOS ANGELES – Today, Councilmember Joe Buscaino, IBEW, Local 18, and LAPD South Bureau joined with the fiancée of Akeem “AJ” Coburn, beloved LADWP electrical worker, father, partner, and proud IBEW member, near the one-year anniversary of his murder, to renew calls for anyone with information about this horrific crime to come forward.

As part of the renewed calls for any information about this crime, Mr. Coburn’s fiancée has placed a billboard at Vermont Ave. and Imperial Hwy. and two bus shelter Public Service Announcements at Figueroa St. and 135th St. and one at Rosecrans Ave. and Figueroa St.  [Photos].

“AJ and I were newly engaged when this tragedy happened. We were not only planning our wedding but planning our future to grow old together. We were building our beautiful blended family, and some lost soul robbed us of our time with him,” said Brandie N. Harris, Mr. Coburn’s fiancée. “I will continue to do anything and everything to honor his name.  AJ was such a humble, selfless, and loving man and I miss him so very much! My hope and prayer is that someone would see how this has affected so many lives and come forward so justice can be served!” 

On July 29th, 2020 shortly after 10:00 PM, a person approached and shot Mr. Coburn while he was standing in a driveway near the intersection of S Vermont Ave. and 135th Street in the Harbor Gateway neighborhood of Los Angeles adjacent to the 110 freeway, near Gardena. Police believe a dark-colored sedan was involved.

“AJ was a part of our city family and his death leaves a hole that can never be filled,” said Councilmember Buscaino. “If you have any information, we are begging you to please come forward, even anonymously, to help us solve this horrific and tragic crime.” 

Mr. Coburn was a loving son, brother, father and fiancé, who worked as an electrical worker for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. 

“Akeem Jamal Coburn was a hardworking, ambitious man with a thoughtful and caring side,” said Vincent Casillas, LADWP Transmission and Distribution District Superintendent. “While displaying a stoic exterior he was truly a good person at heart. He came to work with a determination to excel and often did so.  After completing assigned work he’d move on to other tasks without being asked.  His ambition to become a lineman for the LADWP drove his work ethic.  His tragic passing robbed him of a goal he was well on the way to achieving.  I have no doubt he would have been a great lineman. He loved his soon to be wife Brandie and his three girls deeply.  It was this love that gave him direction in life and theirs is a deep and heavy loss. As his former superintendent, I know he is missed deeply by all his DWP family as well.”

“Mr. Coburn was all about his family,” said Antonio Salcido, LADWP Electrical Distribution Mechanic Supervisor. “His daughters were everything to him. He was a hard worker, and everybody liked him. He was respected as a worker and as a man.”

A $50,000 reward for information is being offered for information that leads to a conviction in this case. 

“This is definitely a solvable case as we ask for the public’s assistance to bring justice to Akeem and his family,” said LAPD Detective Roger Fontes. 

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact South Bureau Homicide Investigators at (323) 786-5111. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the “Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip. Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P-3 Tips” mobile application and select the LA Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.  

Photos of the billboard and bus shelter ads can be found here. Photos and videos of Akeem can be found in this folder. Photos and videos courtesy of Akeem Coburn’s fiancée. 

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