Woman Stabbed to Death Is Identified

Homicide detectives have identified the woman who was found stabbed to death in an alley near the intersection of Van Nuys and Victory boulevards early Tuesday morning.

The victim, 32-year-old Ana Beltran of Los Angeles, was identified by her sister who contacted police when Beltran did not return home.

LAPD detectives say they trying to determine the motive in the killing. Friends and relatives of the woman are being questioned.

"She went out for the evening to have dinner and drinks. We're still not sure why she was killed. It might have been a sexual thing, or perhaps an argument, or a robbery," said Detective Rob Bubb, of the LAPD's Van Nuys Division.

Beltran's body was found at about 3 a.m. by a pedestrian who was walking by the alley near the intersection's southwest corner.

Police say Beltran was in immigrant from El Salvador who worked as a domestic in Sherman Oaks and Van Nuys.

Anyone with information about the victim or the homicide was asked to call Van Nuys detectives at 818-374-0040.