Sheriff Links Weho Killings and Pot Sale

The L.A. County Sheriff's Department held a news conference Wednesday to discuss its investigation into a triple homicide at a West Hollywood apartment building last week. 

The three men who were killed have been identified as Pirooz Moussazadeh, 27; his brother, Shahriar Moussazadeh, 38; and Bernard Khalili, 27, according to the L.A. County Coroner's Office.

"Pirooz and Bernard were engaged in what witnesses described as a pattern of purchasing marijuana for, and from, local collectives and then reselling that marijuana," said Lt. Pat Nelson from the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau.

Investigators are still in the process of trying to substantiate some information about the marijuana dispensaries involved. Two marijuana collectives in West Hollywood were named at the news conference—one on La Cienega Boulevard and another on Sunset Boulevard.

"There was no sign of forced entry or struggle within the location and detectives felt confident that this was a narcotics deal that didn't go well," Nelson said.

Shahriar Moussazadeh was not involved in the alleged drug deal and was in the wrong place at the wrong time, Nelson said.

Sheriff's investigators have discovered that marijuana dispensaries are purchasing their pot from criminal enterprises and are then reselling it on the streets for profit, Sheriff Lee Baca said at the news conference.

"The medicinal marijuana program the voters authorized years ago has been hijacked by underground drug-dealing criminals who are resorting to violence in order to control their piece of the action," Baca said.

A suspect, Harold Yong Park, 31, was arrested Monday in connection with the Weho killings. 

Park's vehicle was located using an Advanced Surveillance and Protection System's Automated License Plate Recognition patrol vehicle.

"[Park] confirmed many of the suspicions of the investigators, including the fact that his original arrival at that location was for the [purpose] of purchasing several thousand dollars of marijuana," Nelson said. 

Park was allegedly in possession of roughly five pounds of marijuana at the time of his arrest, and investigators believe it may have been taken from the apartment after the shooting.

Park is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 14 at the Beverly Hills Superior Court.  He has been charged with three counts of murder with special circumstances, three counts of robbery and one count of burglary and transportation for sale of marijuana, according to published reports.