A tearful and somber crowd assembles to memorialize the slain vintage jewelry collector
By Nick Antonicello
Sarah Alden, who was viciously attacked near the Venice Canals and died from those sustained injuries was tearfully remembered this evening as family members, close friends, city officials and members of the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments paid their respects to the Massachusetts resident that was planning to relocate to the neighborhood.
Alden died May 24th following the violent attack that took place on April 6th which eventually left her brain dead.
Her family opted to take her off life support last month.
Alden had signed a lease to move to Venice Beach from her native Massachusetts and was set to share her relocation announcement with friends before the attack.
This obscene assault of Alden and another woman Mary Klein has shaken Venice to its core as one mourner remarked, “It is scary to walk in Venice.”
A GoFundMe page has been established to cover medical expenses with a goal of $150,000.
Alden was remembered for her love of “sunrises on the east coast and sunsets on the west coast.”
The suspect in custody is Anthony Francisco Jones, who has been charged with the murder of Alden and is being held without bail.
The apparent transient has pled not guilty.
Jones is also accused of attacking Klein the same evening. A GoFundMe posting in support of her has apparently raised over $100,000, surpassing the goal of $75,000.
“Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to the victim’s family and friends during this unimaginably tragic time,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón in a press statement.
Los Angeles Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11), a Venice resident and attorney was also on hand and addressed those in attendance.
The murder has brought the issue of crime and homelessness back to the forefront of locals as many feel this once eclectic, urban beach enclave is no longer safe and a threat to the neighborhood’s longtime reputation as a bustling international tourist destination. For the influx of homeless encampments and RV’s which are in the hundreds have locals calling for swift and drastic measures to cleanup this seaside community as another summer season is now here.
For many Venetians, the belief is homelessness and crime are intertwined, and strategies must be implemented to stem the tide of this encampment crisis currently on our streets today.
With the Summer Olympiad scheduled for Los Angeles in 2028 for a third time, locals are anxious about what specific measures in terms of security will be implemented so that those attending this 17-day extravaganza will be safe.
Several speakers were grateful for the capture of Jones and called for an increased police presence here in Venice.
Nick Antonicello is a thirty-one year resident of the neighborhood that covers crime, and the current encampment and RV crisis. Have a take or a tip? Contact him via e-mail at nantoni@mindspring.com
