Susan Brooks, 59

Died Jan. 29, 2012

Susan Brooks, a 59-year-old white woman, was killed Sunday, Jan. 29, in the 21800 block of South Vermont Avenue in West Carson, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Deputies responded to a call of a man with a knife who had stabbed a woman about 8:20 p.m.

They arrived to find a man with multiple stab wounds leaving the location who said the suspect was still inside with two women, according to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

When deputies entered the home, they found a female victim on the floor and the suspect, identified as Virgil Tyrone Tate, refusing to leave the back room. A SWAT team entered the barricaded room and arrested Tate without incident.

Inside, authorities discovered a second woman on the floor with multiple stab wounds.

Both women were pronounced dead at the scene. The third victim was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

The two women have since been identified as Susan Brooks and Tracie Brooks, a 32-year-old white woman. The department said in a statement that Tate, a 33-year-old black man, was the boyfriend of one of the victims and that they lived together at the residence.

Tate was arrested on suspicion of murder and is being held at County Jail in lieu of $1-million bail, according to Sheriff's Department online booking records. His next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 1 at the Compton Municipal Court.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the sheriff’s homicide bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

— Los Angeles Times