Man arrested for the murder of Australian personal trainer Azuma Bennett in LA
A man has been arrested over the alleged murder of an Aussie personal trainer in Los Angeles last month.
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The suspected murderer of Australian boxing instructor Azuma Bennett, who was gunned down in Los Angeles, has been arrested by homicide detectives.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney announced on Friday the arrest of Gabriel Alvarado.
“Homicide investigators worked diligently to identify and apprehend Azuma Bennett’s killer," the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.
Mr Bennett, who worked at the LA gym of Australia’s former heavyweight pro boxer Justin Fortune, was gunned down outside a marijuana dispensary in a sketchy part of Windsor Hills on Friday, August 12.
Bennett grew up in Sydney and graduated from Waverley College before moving to the states.
The 30-year-old had been planning to return to Australia after years in the US training stars including Hollywood actor Frank Grillo, Aussie singer Eddie Benjamin, and UFC fighter Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller at Fortune Gym, said friend Tamara Fortune.
Mr Alvarado was arrested on September 22 and booked in Los Angeles County Jail. He is due to appear in court on November 21.
Homicide detectives have not revealed a possible motive for the attack outside the “3854” marijuana dispensary in South Central Los Angeles, at about 9.45am local time.
Bennett had been planning to return to Australia for a comeback to the boxing ring when he was reportedly shot at least eight times.
He was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner told News Corp Australia that an autopsy determined Bennett died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.
A final report will take months pending the results of a toxicology exam.
Mr Bennett began at the gym as a customer about five to six years ago but went on to become a full-time trainer after striking up a friendship with Mr Fortune, Australia’s former heavyweight contender who fought Lennox Lewis in 1995 and went on to train champions like Jeff Fenech, Kostya Tszyu, Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquaio.
“With the Australian connection, every time he’d walk in the gym, he’s like, ‘G’day’… G’day mate’, once you knew him once he was like family,” said Ms Fortune.
“That’s why this sucks so bad; part of our family was just taken from us without reason.”
Before he was killed, Mr Bennett was starting to make a comeback to the ring, Ms Fortune said.
“I think he either had an amateur or professional fight back in Australia and I know that he was ready to get back to that, so he was getting himself into fight shape whenever this happened,” Ms Fortune said.
Originally published as Man arrested for the murder of Australian personal trainer Azuma Bennett in LA
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