Daily Press Staff Writer
A man whose face was severely beaten in his hotel room last month remains in serious condition at a local hospital.
Jason Robert Manuel, 22, of Los Angeles allegedly beat and robbed the unidentified man at Loews Hotel on Dec. 26 after the two met a casino. Manuel is scheduled to go to court on Jan. 28 on charges of attempted murder and armed robbery.
A guest of the hotel found the victim lying in a hallway outside of his room and called police. When officers arrived, they found the man suffering from numerous facial injuries. The victim is a 56-year-old man from Texas.
Police said Manuel met the victim at a casino in Inglewood. They returned to Santa Monica and went to the victim’s hotel room, were he was allegedly robbed and beaten by Manuel sometime between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. It is unknown why the two went to the hotel.
3F8,SMPD detectives were able to identify Manuel within 24 hours of the crime by using surveillance video tape from the Inglewood casino. A picture of Manuel was put on a hotel crime alert that was issued to nine large hotels in Santa Monica on the same day of the crime. About 100 flyers were distributed to local law enforcement agencies and casinos in the South Bay that identified Manuel. An arrest warrant was obtained and entered into the statewide law enforcement computer.
SMPD officers found Manuel at a casino in Compton at about 6 a.m. Tuesday after a security guard there recognized him from the photograph and called Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies, who arrested him.
“It was the alterness of the security officer at the casino that was able to recognize him,” Fabrega said. “He had the flyer we sent out.”
SMPD officers went to the Compton Sheriff’s station and transported Manuel to Santa Monica Jail. He was charged with attempted murder and armed robbery. Manuel’s bail has been set at $1,000,000.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 18, 2003. Read the original PDF.