The Latest: Police: Suspect led search party to teen’s body

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the death of a 17-year-old in a Los Angeles suburb (all times local):

1 p.m.

Los Angeles authorities say a 16-year-old fatally stabbed his teenage friend, then joined a search party and ultimately led them to the victim’s body.

Sheriff’s Lt. John Corina says the suspect had been close friends with the victim. Coroner’s officials identified the slain teen as 17-year-old Jeremy Sanchez.

Corina says detectives are still trying to identify a motive for the killing.

He says the suspect, whose name hasn’t been released, stabbed Sanchez multiple times and left his body in a wooded area near a riverbed in the Los Angeles suburb of South El Monte.

When the victim didn’t show up for school, his father put together a search party with the boy’s friends. The suspect and another friend found Sanchez’s body Wednesday.

The suspect was arrested Thursday when detectives searched his home.

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11 a.m.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigators say a 16-year-old was arrested on suspicion of murder after his teenage friend was found stabbed to death.

The Sheriff’s Department says the 17-year-old victim’s body was found Wednesday afternoon in a riverbed area in South El Monte.

Investigators say the victim’s father assembled a group of the teen’s friends to search for him after he didn’t show up for school on Wednesday. Friends of the victim came across his body along the San Gabriel River Trail.

The 16-year-old boy was arrested at his home on suspicion of murder early Thursday morning.

Authorities did not immediately provide additional details and said the murder weapon has not been recovered.