> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # PI hired to investigate SM murder - URL: https://www.smdp.com/pi-hired-to-investigate-sm-murder/ - Published: 2003-12-17T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T03:20:13.000Z - Author: John Wood - Tags: Crime, Pico, #archive-import *Parents of slain Jalonnie Carter grew frustrated with police investigation* Frustrated by the lack of answers surrounding their teenage son’s murder, the parents of Jalonnie Carter, who was shot near his home here in September, have hired a private investigator. Retired Los Angeles Police Department detective supervisor Jim Vuchsas said he and two other investigators are working Carter’s eastside Santa Monica neighborhood for leads. Vuchsas said he also is pushing for more action from local police, who are still investigating Carter’s murder. Police said they were unlikely to share any information with Vuchsas and questioned the effectiveness of his effort. Carter, 19, was fatally shot in an alley east of 20th Street in the Pico neighborhood on Sept. 2\. Police arrested a neighbor, 22-year-old Arthur Archuletta, but so far haven’t produced enough evidence to press charges against him, according to the LA District Attorney’s Office. The lack of an established suspect has left Carter’s mother and stepfather, Shirley and Larry Joseph, desperate for answers. So the family hired Vuchsas to act on their behalf and to interact with local police. “It has made a big difference,” said Shirley Joseph, who had no comment on the Santa Monica Police Department’s work before Vuchsas was hired. “They seem like they’re doing their job now. So far, it seems like they are trying now.” Vuchsas said his group has met with about 10 community members in the Pico neighborhood, including parents, educators and religious leaders, but has uncovered no leads worthy of passing on to the SMPD. He said he was limiting the amount of work his team does to keep the bill low for the Josephs, who rent a small apartment on 20th Street. Vuchsas said one of the reasons the Josephs sought his help was because they felt the SMPD wasn’t working as diligently as it could be on their behalf. But since Vuchsas was hired on Oct. 30, he said police have checked in with the Josephs every so often. 5B7,“They came to us out of a sense of frustration. Their frustration was that they were not getting any answers out of the police department regarding the death of their son,” Vuchsas said. “(The police) have got to open up, because that’s the way today’s days are. You’ve got to be able to communicate to people, communicate to your victims and the community at large.” But police officials said there is a reason why they have remained tight-lipped. “The Santa Monica Police Department shares confidential information with other law enforcement agencies — period,” said SMPD Lt. Frank Fabrega, later adding, “Our detectives are very responsive to contacting family members. However, our detectives do not release confidential information to family members who may compromise the investigation... Any information released may hinder the investigation.” SMPD Chief James T. Butts, Jr., dismissed claims that officers weren’t working actively for Carter’s family. And he extended his personal services to victim’s families. “We have a long history of sensitivity and interaction with our victims and the families of our victims,” Butts said Tuesday. “I have personally taken calls from grieving loved ones and will always be open to doing so.” In a recent interview, Butts pointed to a practice he recently established called “Neighborhood Centered Policing,” which focuses on prevention, education and open communication between law officers and community members. Though the SMPD hasn’t gathered enough evidence for a conviction, police said Archuletta is still a key suspect in the crime and that’s why he has been targeted and taken into custody twice for parole violations. Butts said police have taken Archuletta off the streets to make the community safer and to show criminals that there are real consequences for their actions. Parole violators go in front of a hearing officer from the State Board of Prison Terms, who then decides whether the offender should serve time for their parole violation. Archuletta, who was picked up in November for riding in a car with a firearm in it, remains in custody and awaits the Board of Prison Terms hearing. Butts questioned whether an independent detective would be able to uncover any new information. He added that the SMPD has a network of specialists working on the investigation around the clock and added that they are open to tips from the public. Vuchsas said his goal wasn’t to do the police work by himself. He said he simply wants the SMPD to share more information with Carter’s family. In the meantime, he has filed formal requests for information relating to the crime that might be available, including crime reports and other documents. 3BE,“They have yet to respond to any of it,” Vuchsas said Tuesday. He added that the most recent request, filed under the Freedom of Information Act, was recently given to police. “They may give us pages of redacted info that’s all black, which is fine. We just want some response. “We’re not out for any kind of glory. We just want answers.” Fabrega said police documents have special protections that keep them from being distributed publicly. If Vuchsas wants police reports or documents, he might have to ask a judge to release them, Fabrega added. “An ongoing criminal investigation is not releasable — to anybody — regardless of what the charges are,” he said. Vuchsas declined to say how much money he has been paid. He said one of Shirley Joseph’s sisters paid a retainer to his company and that he would like to return as much of it as possible. Vuchsas charges $150 an hour for his time, $90 an hour for investigators and $40 for administrative help. If he does find any leads, Vuchsas said he will immediately turn them over to police. But SMPD officers might not reciprocate, Butts said. He added that any information uncovered must remain confidential in order to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation. In the meantime, the Josephs are growing anxious while they wait for answers. It has been nearly 15 weeks since the.22-caliber bullet struck Carter’s back. It pierced his heart and killed him. “We’re holding up,” Shirley Joseph said. “We’re taking it one day at a time. One day is good, and the next day is bad. > “We’re holding up.” — — SHIRLEY JOSEPH Mother “It’s hard when it’s close to Christmas, with the holidays and the family gatherings and Jalonnie’s birthday passing,” she added. “It’s hard not to have him around. It’s hard.” SMPD Chief James T. Butts Jr. Shirley Joseph *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 17, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/121703.pdf?ref=smdp.com)