South L.A. man killed with hammer by man he let stay in his backyard, authorities say

A South Los Angeles man was beaten to death with a hammer in the backyard of his home Wednesday night by a man he had let stay there, authorities said.

Deputies from the L.A. County sheriff’s South L.A. station were sent to a home in the 1000 block of West 98th Street about 6:30 p.m. in response to a report of a fight, Deputy Maria Lucero said.

In the backyard, they found a man who had suffered a traumatic head injury, she said. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. The coroner’s office identified the man as Angelberto Medina, 63.

Investigators said that Medina had gotten into a fight with a homeless man whom he had allowed to stay in his yard, and that man had struck him in the head with a hammer, Lucero said.

Deputies found the man suspected in the attack a short distance away and took him into custody, she said. His name has not been released. No other details were available.