schools
Man sentenced for killing 17-year-old honor student in El Sereno
By Helen Jeong at NBC Los Angeles (KNBC)
· June 30, 2026
· 2 min read
A man was sentenced to 24 years to life in state prison for fatally stabbing a 17-year-old honor student in El Sereno in 2023 and attacking another man in downtown Los Angeles , the LA County DA’s Office confirmed to NBC Los Angeles Tuesday.
David Anthony Zapata, now 35, pleaded no context to ...
Key takeaway “It breaks my heart, the fact that they just took him away from me,” Laura Frias, the teen’s mother, had told NBCLA in 2023.
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Category: schools ·
Published: June 30, 2026 ·
Source: NBC Los Angeles (KNBC) ·
Reading time: 2 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A man was sentenced to 24 years to life in state prison for fatally stabbing a 17-year-old honor student in El Sereno in 2023 and attacking another man in downtown Los Angeles, the LA County DA’s Office confirmed to NBC Los Angeles Tuesday.
David Anthony Zapata, now 35, pleaded no context to ...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 30, 2026 by NBC Los Angeles (KNBC) and curated for The Los Angeles readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Helen Jeong at NBC Los Angeles (KNBC). To learn more about how The Los Angeles selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more schools coverage from The Los Angeles, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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