Randal Cleaves II, 23 [Updated]

Rest in Peace young one...

I hate to hear of the many young men being killed on these streets. PLEASE STOP KILLING ONE ANOTHER ON THESE STREETS!!! BEFORE YOU PULL THE TRIGGER THINK OF HOW YOUR MOM OR GRANDMA OR TIA WOULD FEEL IF THEY GOT THE TRAGIC NEWS OF YOUR DEATH. Please young men stop this madness

— Lady Joker, the gangsters who are pulling the trigger are so psychopathic, they have no ability to empathize with the "targets" family.

To them, shooting someone is as easy as a normal person swatting a fly.

~syscom3, I understand that these "gangsters" don't think because if they did we would not have this HR. I just feel sorry for the family members who have to go through all the trauma associated with the loss of a loved one. Before you say it, I know some of the people killed on this HR are gang members- I am speaking about the FAMILY, and how they feel. What their loved one may or may not have done is something they have to live with but it does not stop them from feeling the loss. When we attend funerals of lost loved one's we never say they were a bad person, we always say good things about them; even if we know the bad things about them. That is how the loved one's of all the lost youth here in the HR feel. I just feel sad that a life is lost so often and it is only getting worse.

Good for the person, who followed the suspect and was able to provide details leading to an arrest. More of this is need in the LA area!

Lady Joker,

Maybe these families of the shooters should spend more time with their children and try to give them a positive influence from early in their lives. Then, maybe these young men would care enough to not kill each other.

Saying nice things about someone after they are killed only helps the survived. Saying nice things to a young man when he is alive could help him stay alive.

Just my $0.02 - no disrespect to this young man's family. This is tragic because it is unnecessary.

Not everyone on the HR that is killed is in a gang or affiliated with a gang.Did you know that a gangbanger when he is trying to get initiated into a gang has to go out and kill an innocent person that is not in a gang. The reason for this is said that it is easy to kill your enemy but if you can take out an innocent mother , father , teen, child then you can be trusted. That is how they prove themsleves and then allowed into the gang. I did not know this youngman or his family but nowhere in this report does it say that this was gang related or that he was in a gang it says he had just parked his car at 10:40 and was gunned down. It can happen to any of us God forbid. It happend to Ennis Cosby , Bill Cosby's son in 1997. He was killed by a ukraine gang member while changing his flat tire on the side of the freeway in an upscale area. It can happen at anytime to anyone.

Yeah Sheba, gang infested area, young black men, gang related.... for sure. Its always the people that live around this carnage who say 'its not gang related' or 'it could happen anywhere'....true enough, buts thats because you are desensitized and you think a few shootings in the hood is normal and goes on everywhere. News Flash, it doesn't, it happens in places where civilization has regressed. Now get mad and rationalize some more.

— Sheba, yes its true these homicides could happen to anyone and anyplace.

But the truth of the matter is it's several orders of magnitude lower in probablity when you get outside these killing field neighborhoods.

For you, the abnormal has become the normal.

First off rest in peace to this young man. The saddest part about these murders is the fact that everyone always assume gang violence when it happens, espically if they are a young black male, or hispanic. I live in the area where he was killed and there is more youngsters now days out of gangs then in gangs, why cant we just honor his life.

SYSCOM3, I concur, in fact, most of the time I am in total agreement with your comments. They are ugly but beautiful in their accuracy. You get madder at the comments than the perps, USE YOUR ANGER EARLIER AND CHASTISE YOUR GANGSTER ASSOCIATES FOR THEIR DANGEROUS, IGNORANT, LOSER, CRIMINAL, SHORTLIVED LIFESTYLE. (LIFESTYLE SEEMS OXYMORONIC) GANG MEMBERS AND THEIR INEFFECTIVE FAMILY STRUCTURES AND ENABLERS AND HANGERS ON ARE JUST PLAIN MORONIC. DONT GET MAD AT ME OR ANYONE ELSE FOR SAYING THE TRUTH....IT IS THIS MISPLACED ANGER THAT PREVENTS US FROM FOCUSING ON THE REAL PROBLEM..."WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS US"

— TRACK-STAR, the overwhelming number of homicides are gang related.

To say so otherwise is patently untrue.

man i was on manchester and crenshaw earlier today and the funeral line went thru. man them anthens brothers was trippin they was hoppin out red raggs on their heads. man this is ridiculous. we must find a way ass black people its not to late

Track Star, non-gang members dont go out shooting that often...sometimes but not quite as much

i am the sister to the randal cleaves Sr. what happen to the respect for each other let alone the family. we get it u anthens children, for a lack of better words r just that. please grow up and show the other children in the anthens/willowbrook area the good things u all can do. i to was @ the services with all that, all of his friends n red ok, i get that u all lost a homie, BUT rejoices in fact randy is n a better place, PARTY ABOUT IT YES, BEIN DERESPECTFUL N HIS NAME IS NOT OK

First of all syscom3 I am not desensitve to what is going on in the world. Tell that foolish talk to Bill Cosby. Where his son was killed is not an urban area. Syscom3 Like I said Just becuase you might live in a community where drivebys dont happen, does not mean you know what is going on in the world. Like I said come out of your community and come live around the common folk. instead you hide behind the computer monitor, being a lady coward, talking smack about something you have not lived. I thank God I have never had a family member murdered, my family dont gang bang but we live in a world where others do, that puts you at risk. That puts me at risk, that puts any and everyone at risk. For some reason you think murders only happen in the urban areas. Do some real research then get back to me with intelligent talk, not this psycho bable that you love to do because you think you are better then these families that have suffered on this homicide report. Even Though I dont know these people they have more heart in their baby finger than you do, because they have suffered a great loss yet, they have more compassion then you. A person who sits on their computer and goes throug the homicide report daily to tear down the memory of the deceased and the love ones that they have left behind. If that makes you feel better about your self I feel sorry for you.

Why do you suppose he is in a better place?

You think God wants gangsters to be around people who have lived a moral life?

— sheba .... “Where his son was killed is not an urban area.”

All of the metro LA area is urban.

— sheba .... “ come out of your community and come live around the common folk.”

I have always lived where the common people live. I’m about as common and boring as anyone could find. I’m curious, just what is your definition of “common”?

— sheba .... “For some reason you think murders only happen in the urban areas. Do some real research then get back to me with intelligent talk”

Actually I have. And all the crime stats show that a huge majority of crimes occur in specific neighborhoods with the victims tending to be Latino or Black males between the ages of 17 and 25. Care to debate that fact? In fact, have you ever looked at the homicide map and the statistical data that goes with it?

— sheba .... “tear down the memory of the deceased and the love ones that they have left behind. If that makes you feel better about your self I feel sorry for you.”

I like to remind them that if their loved one was a gangster, then don’t expect any sympathy from me. I will tell them the truth. And maybe that’s something they should have faced up to a long time ago.

syscom3, Mr. Cleaves may be in Heaven because the man turned his life around and Sought God forgiveness!!!
It may cause as a surprised, how many of these brothers are in Heaven and how many of your family members aren't!
There is more than one way to sin, my judgemental friend and I use the term friend loosely!
And those that judge and look down on others, shall in turn be judged by the Heavenly father..

Well it looks like Mr. Cleaves was certainly associated with gang members or else why would they have been "hoppin out red raggs on their heads" when the funeral line went through? It also appears 'auntie to Randy' is aware of it and more or less tolerant of it: "i to was @ the services with all that, all of his friends n red ok, i get that u all lost a homie". If I were a relative, I would be shredding these idiots. It is the gang culture which led to his dimise. These "homies" ARE the problem.

— BigRo619, how do you know he "may" have turned his life around? That does not sound like "has".

Reread your bible. Look for the part where it says criminal conduct should not be tolerated.

Rags on their heads. that says it all, the results of this lifestyle are predictible, Sheba and Big Rob and Auntie are all enablers, tolerating this behavior....too cowardly to try to stop it while their loved ones are alive and quick to criticize those who say I told you so. Athens not urban? That is a bizarre comment.

So dude was from athens park? thats a dangerous area around there,them 118 ecc cats stay chippin them dudes off

REread my comment syscom3 and jaydub. I never said that area was urban. I said where Bill Cosbys son was killed was not urban. And syscom3 you read the Bible? Have your read Matthew 7:1 Judge not that you be not judge. For with what judgement you judge, you shall be judged, and with what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you again. Don't respond to me repond to God. His words not mine.

As a relative to the deceased i am appalled by the comments left by some. The circumstances of Randy's death arent important, but what is important is that we have LOST a loved one who we will NEVER be able to see again. All we have left is photos and memories. Have respect for the family who you know nothing about nor do you know a thing about Randy,who is called that only by family and should not be addressed as that by some stranger hiding behind a computer.Please keep your 2 cents to yourselves if they are not respectful. Why bring more heartache to a situation that does not pertain to you. You will forget your comments in a short time but they will stick with us forever.Much appreciation for those who kept there comments respectful.

— Sophia Harvard, this is a blog about murder. It isn't the obituaries.

If there are comments you do not like, then you shouldn't have come here. We will continue to make comments so as the editor for this blog allows.

I didn't know this young man, but did go to his services,(I went to pay my respects to a friend who was related to him) and could tell by the people who spoke, that he was a good young man. Just because you live in the hood; doesn't mean you are a gangbanger. I agree with Sophia Harvard; when you make a comment on here, please keep in mind that his family is also on here. Stop judging people especially those that you know nothing about. May he RIP.

if all you gangster defenders would speak up so tough when people were alive maybe they wouldnt risk their lives gangbanging...while their loved ones tolerate and ignore it...and then excuse it...or pray on it. you are church going enablers, the scariest kind.

By the way Sophia, you lost him long before the murder, when he started banging, that was the time to speak... to him not us.

Sheriff's homicide Det. Ken Perry, good job in solving this crime.
The Sheriff's department needs more hard working Detectives like yourself..
Thanks for doing your job.

I looked at some of the comments left and I just shook my head. I knew this young man he was a good hearted young black man regradless of what the hell went down and what he was he was my brother and a loyal one at that!Judge all ya'll want but ya'll have no damn clue!!R.I.P SLIM DA DON! U WITH US EVERYDAY U WILL NEVER BE MISSED!!!

R.I.P Slim Da Don! No matter what my bro was he was a loyal young good hearted black man in a messed up inner city who like many made bad choices but ya'll didnt know him so how could u judge one or any other young man who ya'll never sat with talk with better knew at all?R.I.P FROM TEAM BABY!!!

SLIM DA DON was and always will b da truth, a solid young man, i had da pleasure of being one of SLIMS close friends and alot of u got him twisted,he stood out from da rest of da bunch and and was not a follower . A.M.I.P SLIM DA DON

To all of you I am Randal's mom. and it's true alot you dont know him he was a god fearing young man who loved his family and friends yes he was raised in the Athens area because that's where I could afford housing. People are quick to associated murders of Black young men with gang-banging have you ever thought that it hurts the family when you judge. just know that I LOVE MY SON AND HE'S GONE............. My son was my light my son helped many but you dont know that. Mr. Randal Ellis Cleaves II was a and will always be SLIM DA DON and you can call me a gangbanger if you want to but he is the GREATEST OF ALL TIMES
and I would like to thank Detectives that have been by my family side GOD BLESS YOU
MonaLisa His Mother

Lisa that ain't right babe, no one should die for any cause, but their own individual cause. Not a gang.

Randy came from a place, he grew up with love. He had hard working relatives, who also came from a place. He was loved and still is loved. He was lovely. God loves him and will always love him. I will always love him. This is the first time I read this. Remember this God judges those who judge others. Watch what you say and do.

It really warms my heart when I see family of the deceased, friends, or sympathetic outsiders use God and religion as a tool to bring positivity into the awful situation at hand. I don't believe in religion personally, but I think that its healing effects and love are what make its believers stronger.

What I really DON'T like is people using God or mention of the bible in order to explain their judgments in these cases. Be a better "Christian."

Mona Lisa - Randal's mom, please get in touch with me ASAP at 248-496-6871, we have a family EMERGENCY