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LAPD Identifies Suspect in Westlake Attacks on Transgender Business Owner

Police are seeking tips to locate Paul Alan Thomas in a hate-crime probe into repeated assaults on a longtime shop owner.

Overview

  • Detectives released photos of suspect Paul Alan Thomas and asked the public to help find him.
  • Investigators say 61-year-old Sabrina De La Pena was assaulted multiple times at her Westlake store between April and June 2025.
  • Police report the attacks included a sexual assault and death threat after the assailant learned she is transgender.
  • Subsequent incidents allegedly involved beatings with a skateboard, pepper spray, an unknown liquid, and an attempted use of a taser.
  • One suspect, Samuel Parros, was arrested and booked on assault with a deadly weapon, while a third man has not been identified; tips can be directed to LAPD Rampart Division Robbery Detectives at 213-484-3495 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.