2 Arrested in Stabbing Death of Father on Downtown LA Street

Los Angeles police Wednesday announced the arrest of two men in the death of a 33-year-old father.

Eric Cleto, 25, and Johnnie Garay, 26, are each charged with one count of murder in the Dec. 10, 2022, killing of Malcom Collins on a Downtown Los Angeles sidewalk, Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Ryan Rabbett said.

Collins, who had a 6-year-old daughter, was celebrating his impending graduation from Los Angeles Trade-Technical College when he was stabbed to death, his father said.

“He was happy he finally finished at 33,” his dad said, adding that his son was earning an electronics degree on a $25,000 scholarship and already had a job lined up after graduation.

The night he was killed, Collins was on the 200 block of West 7th Street a little before 11 p.m. when he began talking with Cleto and Garay, Rabbett said. Video showed that the interaction escalated into an argument, with Cleto and Garay attacking Collins and Cleto stabbing the victim, the lieutenant said.

Collins ran a few steps and then collapsed on the sidewalk, where he died.

Rabbett said the victim and suspects didn’t know each other and that the argument appeared to be a “spontaneous event.”

Cleto and Garay were arrested Feb. 22 in Huntington Park. Rabbett said both had a prior criminal record, though it was unclear for what. IT was unclear if they had retained an attorney to comment on their behalf.

Collins’ dad remembered his son as a “joyous” and “likeable” person who was “well-loved.” He graduated from Crenshaw High School and went to the 2012 Olympic trials in boxing. After that, he tried to go professional before going back to school, his father said.

“All he cared about was stabilizing his life after boxing and finding that place where he could be responsible for himself and his daughter,” Collins’ dad said.