L.A. City Attorney Snaps And Kills Wife, Son And Self While Daughter Escapes Through Window
Friends say he must have snapped.
Facebook Your home is the place where you should feel safe no matter what. It's where you can let down your guard, kick off your shoes, whip off your bra and commune with your family, your pets, and most importantly of all, reconnect with yourself after a long hard day. No one should feel fear inside of their home, and yet tragically, some do. Who is Eric Lertzman? Eric was an attorney, husband and father of two. It was inside of his own home where Eric is believed to have taken the lives of his son and his wife before turning the gun he used to kill them on himself. Here's what we know.
1. Meet Eric Lertzman
Eric Lertzman, Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney is dead after a tragic case of what is believed to be a murder-suicide. Eric, 60, is currently believed to have shot his son Michael, 19, then his wife, Sandra, 60, and them himself. He reportedly tried to kill his daughter too, but she escaped and ran outside in her pajamas to a neighbor and told them that her father had tried to kill her. Mike Feurer, LA City Attorney, released a statement saying in part: "It is with shock and profound sadness that we announce that today Deputy City Attorney Eric Lertzman was involved in a tragic incident which we understand resulted in the death of his wife, his adult son and himself.”
2. The Eyewitness Account
While the entire attack was only witnessed by the victims, there was an eyewitness on the scene when Eric's daughter fled the house. Greg Demos, the neighbor on the street who spotted her, shared what he saw with the local news. "She was upset, confused, distraught and somewhat in shock. “I don’t know what to tell you Greg but this is what just happened in my house, and I don’t know what to do. My dad took a shot at me, and my mom and my brother are still inside," he shared. While unconfirmed it's believed she leaped out of the window to flee.
3. The Marriage Seemed Happy
To outsiders, Eric and Sandy Lertzman's marriage and family life seemed ideal. Just looking at Sandy's social media seems to confirm that too. On her page she shared multiple pictures taken with her husband as well as with other people in her family. Sandy and Eric were married for 30 years at the time of her murder. In one picture of the couple together she shared, she wrote the following caption: "Happy 30th Anniversary to my Supreme Husband, Eric, a Supreme Dad to our amazing kids and my best friend, too. I love you forever and can’t wait to share at least the next 30 years with you!”
4. Eric's Role At Work
While the details are still emerging, the police arrived on the scene after getting a report of a domestic disturbance. In a sad coincidence, the office where Eric worked often handled serious domestic abuse cases. Their website says that the office “plays a leading role in shaping the future of our city by fighting to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods, reducing gang activity, preventing gun violence, standing up for consumers and the elderly, protecting our environment and so much more. The City Attorney’s office writes every municipal law, advises the Mayor, City Council and all city departments and commissions, defends the city in litigation, brings forth lawsuits on behalf of the people and prosecutes misdemeanor crimes such as domestic violence, drunk driving and vandalism.”
5. The Issue of Gun Control
Currently, the community is in shock. After Mike Feuer's statement, the comments came rolling in and the disbelief is totally palpable. Once again, this is a case that has touched on a critical issue in our country, the woefully dangerous and easy access to guns. Said one commenter, “Mike Feuer, we are all in shock. I know what you and your office stood for. Michael Lertzman, Eric’s son, was an amazing person, a camp counselor at Camp Alonim, who has touched all three of my kids. To know what is at the ROOT of this senseless tragedy is painful. Where do we go from here? #NoGunsAtHome.”
6. Eric And Pain Meds
Eric Lertzman became a practicing lawyer in 1992. According to neighbors of the Lertzman's family, Eric was not working at the time that this tragedy occurred. Apparently, Eric was on disability from his job working for the city because he had recently had a surgical operation and was experiencing a tremendous amount of pain. What the nature of the surgical operation was is unclear, though Eric was treated for a hernia not too long ao. “This is a tragedy. This is a case of somebody snapping. He was in pain and on pain medication. It’s so out of character for him. He was a miled mannered man," said one neighbor.
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. She's an experienced generalist with a passion for lifestyle, geek news, pop culture, and true crime.