A decorated police officer, who was facing multiple charges related to child molestation, was pronounced dead while under detention.
Paul Razo, an ex-Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer, had been arrested recently on the basis of grave accusations involving the molestation of multiple underage boys. In a devastating twist, two of the alleged victims were his relatives.
BREAKING: Former LAPD officer accused of sexually assaulting 4 boys, including family members, reportedly died while in custody, Saturday. The LA County Sheriff’s Department says Paul Razo was undergoing treatment for a “pre-existing medical condition.”
Razo was charged this… pic.twitter.com/CsKeoeFzvl
— Kris Adler-KFI (@KristleAdler) May 23, 2023
Razo’s death occurred during his detention period, which had extended to ten days since his arrest. The incident was confirmed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in an official statement.
“Paul Razo was under our supervision and was taken to the Los Angeles County Medical Center in relation to a prior medical condition. He was pronounced dead while undergoing treatment,” the sheriff’s department communicated in their statement.
While authorities have reported no indications of foul play at this juncture, they announced that the exact cause of death would be verified post-autopsy by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office.
The alleged incidents of assault that led to his arrest spanned nearly a decade, from 2007 to 2016. The victims included two children of a woman Razo was romantically involved with. These children frequently stayed overnight at Razo’s residence in Covina, where the assaults purportedly occurred.
Additional accusations implicated Razo in assaulting two other boys related to him, aged between 11 and 13.
Razo, an LAPD officer with a tenure surpassing 25 years, was a Medal of Valor recipient, a prestigious recognition awarded for his heroic act of rescuing a man from a flaming vehicle while off-duty in 2016. However, he stepped down from his position in the force earlier this year, in March.
The case had sent shockwaves through the community, challenging the public’s faith in the law enforcement system. District Attorney George Gascón voiced his concern over the case, saying that the accusations of abuse against defenseless children are “horrifyingly profound.”
“The fact that the suspect served as a law enforcement officer during the time of these alleged acts amplifies the gravity of the situation,” he stated.
