Manuel Benitez, also known as Manuel Velasco, Mike Evers and Mark Everett was killed in Los Angeles last night after a two hour standoff with police. He was holding a 7 year old boy hostage, possibly his son Benjamin.
Benitez was a child actor going by the name of Mark Everett when he appeared in television shows Highway to Heaven, Trapper John, MD and had movie roles in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure and Stand and Deliver.
Benitez, 38, was a suspect who was wanted in the 2004 murder of his girlfriend Stephanie Spears in Hawthorne. She was beaten to death with a dumbbell and he escaped with their young son. He has been a fugitive ever since and was featured on America’s Most Wanted earlier this year.
At the time of the crime, Benitez was charged with murder and a California warrant was issued for his arrest. A federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution was issued in March 2006. An FBI reward of $20,000 was offered for information leading to the capture and arrest of the suspect.
Last night’s standoff began after a police officer noticed a man take a boy off the sidewalk and head to the restaurant. Benitez ignored the officer’s orders to stop and barricaded himself inside.
The boy in Benitez’ custody received a gunshot wound to the thigh in the police standoff and is expected to survive. Benitez was declared dead at the Chinese restaurant in an El Monte strip mall after police threw a flash-bang grenade inside the business establishment and then started firing their weapons.
Benitez, dressed in a camo jacket, was carrying a semiautomatic pistol and a revolver. He was reportedly traveling with his mother Elisabeth Velasco. Police are seeking the public’s help in locating her.
El Monte is 13 miles east of Los Angeles with a population of 116,000 people.
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