A woman was killed and a teenage girl was hospitalized after a stabbing near the 15000 block of Burbank Boulevard around 7:20 p.m. last Thursday. A suspect was arrested at the scene and has since been booked on suspicion of murder, held on $2 million bail.
According to KTLA, the woman, identified as Ikea Batty, 33, was pronounced dead at the scene. The second victim, a teenage girl, was taken to the hospital and was listed in stable condition, the station reported. The Los Angeles Police Department identified the suspect as Lyle Clark, 33, who was taken into custody at the scene and later booked for murder.
The stabbing occurred in Sherman Oaks, not Van Nuys. The age of the victim has also been reported differently: one outlet put her at 35, while others listed her as 33. Similarly, the suspect's age was reported as 34 in one account and 33 in others. A report from Hollywood LA News spelled the victim's surname as Battey rather than Batty, citing the coroner's office. None of these discrepancies have been resolved publicly.
Investigation Still in Early Stages
LAPD said the motive and details of the stabbing remained under investigation in the immediate aftermath, per the same KTLA report. The case was handed to detectives from the department's Robbery and Homicide Division, the station noted.
Investigators did rule out some possibilities early on. Police said neither the victims nor the suspect were homeless and that the stabbing was not gang-related, according to a report that did not identify the department's statement further.
Suspect Held on $2 Million Bail
Clark remains in custody as the investigation continues, with bail set at $2 million. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact LAPD's Valley Bureau Section at 818-374-9550.
