Crime & Safety

Police Say Investigation of Oscar Duncan Homicide in Venice Continuing

Police say the investigation is continuing into the June 4 shooting death of 23-year-old Venice youth pastor Oscar Duncan.

The investigation into the June 4 shooting death of 24-year-old Venice youth pastor Oscar Duncan has been continuing, but there have been no new developments to report, police said Tuesday.

Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department arrested suspected gang member Kevin Dwayne Green, 28, a few days after the shooting and he is being held on $2 million bail after being charged with one count of murder with gun use and street gang allegations. Green also was charged with a separate count of second degree robbery in connection with an incident that occurred May 21, and with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Green is next scheduled to appear in court July 3 for a preliminary hearing setting. If convicted, Green faces a minimum sentence of 50 years to life in prison.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The LAPD had announced that a second suspect, 22-year-old Hopeton Bereford Parsley, was arrested in connection with the slaying, but no charges have been filed and he has since been released.

Police did not bring prosecutors a case against Parsley, said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Duncan was gunned down June 4 about 10:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Santa Clara Avenue. Prosecutors said that Green was among a group of men who allegedly drove up to Duncan and his girlfriend, who were standing on the street. They jeered at Duncan's girlfriend and shouted a gang name as one of them fired a single shot that struck Duncan in the head, according to the district attorney's office.

Duncan, a 2006 graduate of Venice High School, was a former "Youth of the Year" with the Boys & Girls Club of Venice and was a homecoming king, prom king and captain of the football team in high school. He worked as a mentor at the Venice Boys & Girls Club and also was an instructor in the club's audio engineering program.

Duncan, known as "ChoirBoy" for his gospel-inspired hip-hop, was a youth pastor at a Compton church and helped oversee 1,500 youths.

Police said shortly after the shooting that they were seeking up to four men seen in a white sedan.

Anyone with information on the shooting should call LAPD homicide detectives at 213-382-9470, or after business hours at 877-527-3247.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.