Authorities Offer $50,000 Reward for Information on Hoagies & Wings Killing

Councilman Tom LaBonge and Los Angeles Police Department detectives on Tuesday announced a that leads to the arrest and conviction of the men involved in the June 29 slaying of 38-year-old Raul Lopez at the Hoagies & Wings restaurant where he worked in Sherman Oaks.

“We all feel for your family,” LaBonge said to Lopez's widow and children, who attended a morning press conference held at the Ventura Boulevard restaurant. “The City of Los Angeles is working very hard but we need the community to help. Someone knows these individuals.”

Lopez was shot once in the chest during a scuffle with five young men who were causing a disturbance in the restaurant shortly after 11 p.m. on June 29.

Police said  who are thought to be African-American and in their 20s or 30s, fled the scene in a late-model, dark-colored SUV, possibly a Cadillac Escalade, with 26-inch chrome rims. Three of the men were about 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 300 pounds or more, police said.

“We haven’t exhausted every angle, but we felt it was in the best interest of the family and the LAPD to pursue this angle,” LAPD homicide Detective James Nuttall said of the reward, which is being offered by the Los Angeles City Council for information that leads to the identification, arrest and conviction of the attackers. Anyone with more information was urged to call detectives at (818) 374-0040 or (877) LAPD-247.

Nuttall said that witnesses who were at the scene have not been able to offer enough information to further the investigation.

“They have helped,” Nuttall said. “They’ve given us very accurate physical descriptions. But without any physical evidence to trace back to them—a license plate number, a name—things kind of reach a standstill. ... I just need a phone call, someone to point us in the right direction. I don’t even need to know a name.”

Lopez’s 16-year-old son, Melesio Lopez, addressed reporters on behalf of the family.

“It’s really tough,” Melesio said. “We lost our dad and we can’t replace him.”

Melesio said he believes that the people who know the attackers are scared to talk to police.

“I want them to get the people that did this,” Melesio said. “I want justice. I want people to not be afraid and come to the police.”

Melesio said his mother, Guadalupe Gomez, is unemployed and that his father worked two jobs to support their family.

When asked who is supporting the family now, Melesio replied, “Nobody.”

“I had him for 16 years, but they’re not going to be able to have him,” Melesio said, motioning toward his 7-year-old brother and three sisters, ages 6, 4 and 2.

 to assist the family. Checks can be made payable to Guadalupe Gomez and mailed to or dropped off at the restaurant at 14552 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA, 91403.

To donate clothing, or for further information, email the restaurant at info@hoagiesandwings.com, or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hoagiesandwings.

“The city sends its love to the family because they will never have their father,” LaBonge said. “The only thing we can pray for is justice.”