Supervisors renew rewards in Palmdale missing person case, Lancaster hit/run

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday renewed rewards involving a young man’s suspicious disappearance in Palmdale more than a year ago and a fatal hit-and-run in Lancaster.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger recommended extending a $10,000 reward in the case of 23-year-old Jose Juan Ahumada, who went missing from Palmdale amid suspicious circumstances on March 5, 2018.

The last known sighting of Ahumada was about 7 that evening, when he was seen leaving his residence in the 37000 block of Tamara Place to drive to a nearby store in his black Toyota Scion. He never returned home and his car was found 10 days later in North Hollywood.

Ahumada was described as having short brown hair, brown eyes and an “Ahumada” back tattoo. He was last seen wearing a black sweater, blue pants and black shoes.

Anyone with information on Ahumada’s is encouraged to call sheriff’s homicide detectives at 323-890-5500.

At Barger’s request, the board also extended a $10,000 reward in the case of Rodney Tyrone Richard, a 21-year-old man killed by a hit-and-run motorist on Lancaster Boulevard near Elm Street last summer.

About 2 a.m. on Aug. 4, 2018, Richard was crossing the eastbound lane on Lancaster Boulevard from parking spaces located in the center median. He had stopped and faced oncoming traffic before turning again and trying to run out of the roadway, where he was hit by a full-size white GMC or Chevrolet truck with chrome side steps.

The motorist, who was traveling in excess of the posted 15 mph speed limit, sped away toward Sierra Highway. Witnesses identified the truck but were unable to get the license plate, according to detectives.

Anyone with more information is encouraged to call sheriff’s Detective Ryan Bodily at 661-940-3811.

Both awards had been set to expire in the next few weeks, but will now be available for at least another 90 days.

People with information on either of the cases may also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).