The Antelope Valley Times

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Teen found dead in vacant Lancaster home ID’d

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The incident was reported around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 4, in the 45100 block of 18th Street West in Lancaster, sheriff’s officials said. [Photo by LUIS MEZA]
LANCASTER – A young man found dead Saturday on a vacant Lancaster property was identified Monday.

He was Jacob Drew Sullivan, 17, of Lancaster, according to coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter.

“Right now, it’s listed as a homicide shooting,” Winter said Monday, adding that an autopsy was pending.

The incident was reported around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 4, in the 45100 block of 18th Street West in Lancaster, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

[LUIS MEZA]
“[It’s] a death investigation regarding a gunshot wound to a male victim,” said Sheriff’s Homicide Detective Dameron Peyton. “At this point, we’re unaware of all the circumstances… we’re still trying to determine how long he’s been there, but it seems as if it happened in recent times.”

The body was discovered by someone checking on the vacant home, which was listed for sale a few months ago after the owner passed away of natural causes, according to neighbors at the scene.

“The investigation is ongoing and there is no additional information available at this time,” the sheriff’s news release states.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

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48 comments for "Teen found dead in vacant Lancaster home ID’d"

  1. I am truly stupified and lost trying to find any possible reason why someone would do such a horrific thing to my 17 year old nephew. Please, somebody knows something and knows that this is so wrong. We need answers… who and why? You can remain anonymous. Please we need to make some sense of this. tks3773@aol.com 702-807-4746….Jake’s Aunt Tammy
    HE DID NOT DESERVE THIS!

    • We miss you Jake,it’s been over a month now and not getting any easier. I have so many questions and want answers as alot of people do. It will never bring you back but justice needs to be served. Someone does know something or someone that knows what happened and the right thing is for you to come forward remain miscellaneous and give some kind of lead/information. No one deserves to be killed!!! People please start talking and get some kind of justice for Jake!!!!

  2. Jacob I meant him not too long ago and he was the sweetest kid so innocent and may have been struggling with depression or other things but it didn’t stop him from being so sweet kind and always wanted to please you and anyone else but him self. He will be missed sleep with the angels Jacob and now your in peace.. RIP

  3. Jacob sold drugs, did Heroin, Methamphetamine, weed, xanax, Molly, and etc. It could have been drug related money issues, one of my friends talked to him on that Saturday at 12am, the last time i spoke to him was late February. Jacob was a nice guy, but his drug addiction was going too far, he would abuse the drugs, he seemed very depressed at the moment. He would smoke heroin and shoot it on some occasions on a daily basis. He would also sell the drugs he used. Lots of the people he associated with know that he used drugs, but he was a very kind guy. Maybe this can help. May he r.i.p.

    • So many kids are into drugs they are everywhere you go. So many kids choose that way of life thinking it may not lead them into a destructive path. I knew Jacob for over 10 years,I knew him before the drugs and he was always a great,kind,caring young man even while battling these issues. My heart hurts for his close friends and family he didn’t deserve this no matter what, deep down he was a great human being. We will miss him so much already do.

      • Whatever Jacob’s habits were before he died doesn’t truly reflect his character, he was kind, he was friendly to almost everyone he ran across. It’s truly a tragedy to lose him….

    • You may have meant well, but this is not helpful. It could be very hurtful to his family. He was struggling with becoming a man like so many youngsters today who have mental health issues that may be causal to drug use. These issues can render sufferers unable to feel joy and excitement in the same way the rest of us can and a natural response is to self medicate to try to feel anything. Very complex issues and very painful. Please, for the sake of his family, remove the comment.

      • I agree and was flabbergasted that a teen would come on here and say all that with no regard to his family. It would be nice if the AV Times would monitor a bit on here. I knew Jacob and he was a good kid. Always compassionate towards the homeless people that live near us and always trying to stay positive. He will be missed by my sons and I.

    • How dare you! U must be just as bad ur self except worse… ur a coward by putting all his business out there like that and then no name and remaining anonymous…. just a matter of time till the samend thing happens 2 u! There is a spot in he’ll for u I’m sure!

  4. This is jacob’so Aunt Tammy. If anyone has any information or knows anything and you want to remain anonymous, you can email me at tks3773@aol.com or call or text 702-807-4746. Please any information no matter how big or small. Somebody has to know something.Thank you.

    • If he had a cell phone pay his bill and keep it payed. There are apps that will bring to life all of his past texts and calls made. You may have to pay for them in which im sure you would do. Around the time of his incident and cowardly murder you will have such a chance to find out who he was dealing with and more than likely who it was that was to be there with him or the neighbors maybe had cameras you just have to ask to find out. Someone had to see something anything. The phone records will show information that will im sure lead you straight to the ones responsible god bless

  7. The problem in a nutshell is SIN period. It’s not just the AV that is infested with SIN it’s the entire world. What has happened to this young man has happened elsewhere every day. People it’s time for the world to REPENT of the SINS they have committed. Ask Jesus into your heart and allow Him to change your ways. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes on him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Will you believe or will you be lost ? I’m not religious I have a relationship with Jesus Christ truly it’s the religions that has done nothing for mankind but divide and causes confusion.

    • Very nicely put Paster Baker. I used to live in Lancaster we moved in 2012 and I am glad we did, it was getting so bad there and I did not want my grandchildren living around all that. Now we live in the country in another state. Best move we have made

      • religion is a mental disorder; way to care about a senseless murder and not promote your fantasy world.

        [removed]

        • Wasn’t aware u could determine the status of ones mental disorder over a computer, surely says a lot about your knowledge

      • I know people that moved to “the country” in other states too…and guess what? Their grandchildren are meth-heads and tweakers! So stop with the AV bashing. This is a great community with great people!

        If you like where you live so much why do you come back to AV-related sites to talk bad about us?

        • This is not a great community anymore, are you an idiot or just naive? guarantee you’re a Hillary voter. Jesus Christ you can’t be serious.

        • Well put I live in AV and I love it.crime is happens everywhere .everyone is not bad nor are we criminals… What happened to that young man is truly sad.so instead of bashing AV and the peoples that live here. Why don’t you send your condolences to the family..and prayer..for such a time like this it could have been your child it doesn’t matter where you live. Crime is everywhere..MY PRAYERS AND CONDOLENCES. GO OUT TO THE FAMILY. AND PRAY THEY CATCH THE PERSON/ PERSONS INVOLVED….

    • Sin is an imaginary disease invented to sell you an imaginary cure… It’s 2017 people, not 1417.

    • “sin” is a convenient fallback for people who lack impulse control and generally have low IQs

    • Lancaster is built on sin. For years the Unholy Trinity of Parris, Gilley, and Visco have sucked millions upon millions of ill-gained dollars through shady deals, no bid contracts, and one of the US’s best good old boy networks. Parris, more than any of them, uses the local churches to keep him in power. There’s a great movie to be made here.

      • It just feels like justice delayed is justice denied – I have some info for that movie I heard of a person who wrote a book about some horrific event and sold the copyright to a publisher to have it put in print but the publisher would not publish it because they were bought out by the person who it was written about, copyright and all. let’s hope that doesn’t happen here.

  8. This house was being trafficked—-I do remember an older man having lived there who was often watering his garden in the front—-I would see him as I walked down the street…but the last time I walked past the house there were a few young guys hanging out around the property but this was in February—-but if the people who live around there knew the man who owned the house had died—-the traffic there was obvious, so why not call the police? I saw these people hanging out there and I don’t even live on that street I was just walking to the store…..

    The last time I passed by there some guy asked me if I was looking for drugs….is this what the city has turned into? Cause if so I will be happy to sell my own house and move far away from here…I am actually tired of people moving to this area and bringing nothing but problems with them…the drug abuse in the area is sky high.

    People have this attitude that they can solve their issues with guns, or drugs or stupidity…I am actually quite tired of it. I listen to police all night long now with sirens going…I moved from the last area I was in because of gun shots in the night—-now its moved directly west. Most of the people in these areas are middle class tax paying civilians….but its been well known that 18th street is heavily trafficked…halfway down the street are quite a few questionable houses.

    I grew up here and cannot believe how bad things have become—-way too many homeless kids who steal and rob people, way too many drug dealers who think they own the city, way too many gangs, too many stupid parties and party suppliers (drug dealers)….When I bought my house a year after I moved in some guy bought the house across from me, and rented it to a bunch of heroin users…this was a nice neighborhood with kids—these people sat outside lighting glass pipes, they would pass out on their front lawns, the guy who lived there had been convicted of a violent rape, the females there were always drugged up and had race tracks up their arms and pizza faces—–but the landlord did not seem to care until it was too late and they stopped paying him their rent and he lost the house. These people brought all kinds of problems to the area, people knocking on your doors at 2am, looking for some loser—–it got to the point that calling the police about their constant drug use was useless….the police did not care. Yet, they used to sell right out of a window on the front lawn….

    They all had warrants out for their arrests (this was the only time you saw the police), their boyfriends were all gang members, they harassed people, yelled profanities when they were all drugged up and while under the influence of drugs they left needles, glass pipes on the front lawns and even tried to start fights with other females…Of course they were not from the AV though….they all got disability checks.

    Stop moving this trash up here…or should I say paroling them to the area….Its bad enough with all the pedophiles and rapists….now its the drug dealers who are for the most part nothing short of kids themselves….where are the parents of these little brats???????? I am sorry but 17 still makes you a MINOR….I see these kids aged 13 going to parties with 20 something year olds…

    If you go to the Lancaster Blvd in the Spring or Summer they are smoking weed and acting like they own the area…..or fighting at the park near there….Children are not supposed to be allowed to run a city into the ground like that…..I am severely irritated by this. You cannot go anywhere in Lancaster or Palmdale without seeing tons of these losers. This is why I do not question the attitude most have, who can they trust? Has anyone taken a look at the stats for this area regarding crime????? It has NOT gone down, there are constant assaults and robberies…most of it due to the obsession the area has with drug trafficking….

    The opiate abuse up here is totally out of control…they don’t tell you how many young kids and adults get hooked on this crap at parties and end up over dosing…this was a problem even 7 years ago—-When I first bought my house I found some guy slumped over on my grass and it turned out he was just an opiate abuser…Some girl all last year claiming to be some type of “sovereign citizen” thought she had the right to be on property on a daily basis, until she realized I had video cameras and was watching her the whole time….for months she tried to watch to see when I left my house. Of course I never did.

    I had a young man break into my garage and got caught, turned out one of my own kids knew who he was…this is just too much…Something tells me it was not “weed” that got this kid killed—-you can see these “runners” as they are called all the time—-they don’t just sell one thing. Weed is not the reason this kid was killed it had to be more than that….especially if you really opened your eyes and took a look around you….the entire east side of Lancaster is ridden with crime. Avenue H is a nightmare and the housing near the Lancaster Blvd has become a ghetto ridden infestation of crime….

    People call the police but it seems they are just not interested in anything that wont get them media coverage or lead to a larger catch of criminal activity—–but my taxes are supposed to pay for crimes in general not just the picking and choosing of which ones they want to look into….or ones the DA “wants” to prosecute—Part of the problem in Lancaster is that its too political now…but I could care a less about your politics, clean up the city or you will find no one left to pay taxes for all the things we have up here….the criminal cesspool that has been moved into these places cannot even afford to live here…let alone pay taxes.

    Panhandlers exist outside every Walmart chasing you down to “give them money”…I have seen young homeless teens sitting outside fast food places asking people for money…this area’s crime and criminal activity is no longer surprising or shocking to me….its just disgusting.

    • Sad thing is , most of the young, homeless people still have a chance to make it right , yet, they still dont

    • @ desertchild

      why didnt YOU call police? Are only next door neighbors supposed to call? You seem to have soooo much knowledge of whats wrong in parts of the AV, what are you helping to do about it?

      • How do you know the police were not called LISA???? My experience comes from more than 30 years in this area…..people have turned it into a trash can. If you don’t like that opinion oh well, life is hard.

        I don’t live next door to this house and VERY CLEARLY stated “as I walked down the street”, but that does not mean a crime is being committed….I do not recall seeing anyone other than some tattooed guys hanging out and for all I know they could have been relatives of the guy who had lived there—–but alas I also had no clue the man who owned the house had died—-so you assume too much in your calculated comment. Call the cops yourself.

  9. Talked to him once last week on Friday in class, I wanted to get to know him better because my girlfriend has known him since 1st grade. From everything she’s told me today he was genuinely a very caring individual that helped others instead of himself. You will be missed Jacob rest in piece.

  11. that poor boy and his family. may he rest in peace and may they find peace during this time. such a sad thing to hear.

  12. I’m not sure if this helps but i have a screenshot from this morning at 12 pm and it says he was active 17 hours ago at that time.

  13. Jacob is someone i consider a forever brother to me and have not stop talking to the sky all day trying to find the answer for why someone would do this to somone so loving tords the ones he loved most… he always was willing to help anyone out befor him self and i can stop thinking about the amazing memories with him and our little goofy squad and cant belive that could never be the same without him… i love you Jacob…..
    Always sending you zen,
    Dottie

  14. The antelope valley is just getting worse, as with the rest of the world, there is so much violence and disrespect in this town, people are just rude anywhere you go ….But the crimes have got to stop , I don’t think the ” police” do enough patrolling in the ” ghetto” areas like they should, even though you shouldn’t have to, but people need to be babysat these days cuz of what dreadful events that take place….I am sure if this place was drug free, it would be just a little more peaceful
    The world is going to [removed] , surely , slowly, but truly…. Welcome to the early rise of hell, folks!
    RIP kid! Hope justice is served for whatever happened…People think violence or murdering is a way to solve problems these days, why , it just brings another storm!!! Do they not think of the consequences after?

    • You realise lancaster is the busiest station in all of LA county. Most officers only work 2-3 years and transfer because of the insane workload. Fire engine 33 in Lancaster is among the busiest in the nation. Thanks for the support

      • Sorry, I guess I failed to realize that the police department is actively hiring , didn’t consider they may be short handed…

  15. R.i.p. My boy I love you man I pray you get justice btother and never will I forget our memories see you with God master frylock

  16. I knew Jacob, i dont know exactly what happened but i do know that he sold Marijuana, maybe it couldve been related to gang violence. I hope this somewhat helps with the investigation

    • It is never good to speak ill of dead people whether they broke the law, spat in your face, or cheated with your SO, Call the cops if you have a lead.

  17. I drove by in the evening and seen all that. Crazy how the AV is getting these days…I grew up out there since ’87. Never heard of this.

    • Your right my son was murdered also I been here my whole life never would I thought

      • I have been here all my life,my best friend was murdered in 97 by his 16 year old girlfriend.this used to be a pretty small town, now its full of homeless and [removed],there were very few black people here growing up,I could walk anywhere or ride my bike anyways in town,NOW I CAN’T WAIT TO MOVE OUT OF THIS TOWN,

        • Was your best friend girlfriend black? Don’t try and make it a black thing. A life have been taken. A mothers heart is broken! And all you can say is “there were few black people here growing up” so now that there is black people there you can’t do anything!! Stop making everything a RACE WAR!!! Crime is crime no matter who does it. Black or white. Every race have terrible criminals unfortunately!! Not just blacks!! And if people aren’t aware of this, THAT’S SAD!! My heart goes out to his family and friends. May God comfort your hearts.