On the morning of April 18, 1978, Deputy Thomas Pohlman smelled an odor of ether, common with illicit PCP labs, emanating from the 3400 block of Whiteside Street in the City Terrace area of East Los Angeles. He called for backup and Deputy Duncan Jefferys arrived. Both deputies left their cars to investigate a house that seemed to be the source of the odor. They initially went to the rear of the property, but when they heard a commotion in the front they hastily responded there and saw a young, Hispanic male running from the location. Pohlman gave chase as Jeffreys ran to his car to put out radio traffic for assistance.
Deputy Pohlman pursued the suspect across the street to the backyard of a vacant home at 3434 Whiteside adjacent to the San Bernardino Freeway. Apparently, the suspect was trying to climb over the fence adjacent to the freeway when a fight ensued between he and Pohlman. During the struggle, the suspect wrested Pohlman’s weapon away from him then shot and killed him. Deputy Jeffreys heard the gunshots as he was running toward Pohlman after putting out the radio traffic; however, he was too late.
The suspect fled with Pohlman’s weapon. A small PCP lab was found inside the house Pohlman and Jeffreys were investigating.
Deputy Pohlman’s killer was captured a few days later. The District Attorney sought the death penalty, but on November 3, 1978, after four-and-a-half days of deliberation, the jury only convicted him of second-degree murder. On December 5, he was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in prison.
Deputy Pohlman, 27, a five-year LASD veteran, was survived by his wife, Jenny, as well as a five-year-old son. Jenny was also pregnant with their daughter at the time of Tom’s murder.
On November 8, 2016, the freeway interchange where the 710 and 10 Freeways meet in East Los Angeles was renamed in honor of Deputy Pohlman. A ceremony commemorating this event took place a short distance away at the Sheriff’s Academy at Biscailuz Center. Jenny was one of the keynote speakers.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, ODMP, LASD, John Stanley
Deputy Pohlman pursued the suspect across the street to the backyard of a vacant home at 3434 Whiteside adjacent to the San Bernardino Freeway. Apparently, the suspect was trying to climb over the fence adjacent to the freeway when a fight ensued between he and Pohlman. During the struggle, the suspect wrested Pohlman’s weapon away from him then shot and killed him. Deputy Jeffreys heard the gunshots as he was running toward Pohlman after putting out the radio traffic; however, he was too late.
The suspect fled with Pohlman’s weapon. A small PCP lab was found inside the house Pohlman and Jeffreys were investigating.
Deputy Pohlman’s killer was captured a few days later. The District Attorney sought the death penalty, but on November 3, 1978, after four-and-a-half days of deliberation, the jury only convicted him of second-degree murder. On December 5, he was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in prison.
Deputy Pohlman, 27, a five-year LASD veteran, was survived by his wife, Jenny, as well as a five-year-old son. Jenny was also pregnant with their daughter at the time of Tom’s murder.
On November 8, 2016, the freeway interchange where the 710 and 10 Freeways meet in East Los Angeles was renamed in honor of Deputy Pohlman. A ceremony commemorating this event took place a short distance away at the Sheriff’s Academy at Biscailuz Center. Jenny was one of the keynote speakers.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, ODMP, LASD, John Stanley
On the morning of April 18, 1978, Deputy Thomas Pohlman smelled an odor of ether, common with illicit PCP labs, emanating from the 3400 block of Whiteside Street in the City Terrace area of East Los Angeles. He called for backup and Deputy Duncan Jefferys arrived. Both deputies left their cars to investigate a house that seemed to be the source of the odor. They initially went to the rear of the property, but when they heard a commotion in the front they hastily responded there and saw a young, Hispanic male running from the location. Pohlman gave chase as Jeffreys ran to his car to put out radio traffic for assistance.
Deputy Pohlman pursued the suspect across the street to the backyard of a vacant home at 3434 Whiteside adjacent to the San Bernardino Freeway. Apparently, the suspect was trying to climb over the fence adjacent to the freeway when a fight ensued between he and Pohlman. During the struggle, the suspect wrested Pohlman’s weapon away from him then shot and killed him. Deputy Jeffreys heard the gunshots as he was running toward Pohlman after putting out the radio traffic; however, he was too late.
The suspect fled with Pohlman’s weapon. A small PCP lab was found inside the house Pohlman and Jeffreys were investigating.
Deputy Pohlman’s killer was captured a few days later. The District Attorney sought the death penalty, but on November 3, 1978, after four-and-a-half days of deliberation, the jury only convicted him of second-degree murder. On December 5, he was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in prison.
Deputy Pohlman, 27, a five-year LASD veteran, was survived by his wife, Jenny, as well as a five-year-old son. Jenny was also pregnant with their daughter at the time of Tom’s murder.
On November 8, 2016, the freeway interchange where the 710 and 10 Freeways meet in East Los Angeles was renamed in honor of Deputy Pohlman. A ceremony commemorating this event took place a short distance away at the Sheriff’s Academy at Biscailuz Center. Jenny was one of the keynote speakers.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, ODMP, LASD, John Stanley
Deputy Pohlman pursued the suspect across the street to the backyard of a vacant home at 3434 Whiteside adjacent to the San Bernardino Freeway. Apparently, the suspect was trying to climb over the fence adjacent to the freeway when a fight ensued between he and Pohlman. During the struggle, the suspect wrested Pohlman’s weapon away from him then shot and killed him. Deputy Jeffreys heard the gunshots as he was running toward Pohlman after putting out the radio traffic; however, he was too late.
The suspect fled with Pohlman’s weapon. A small PCP lab was found inside the house Pohlman and Jeffreys were investigating.
Deputy Pohlman’s killer was captured a few days later. The District Attorney sought the death penalty, but on November 3, 1978, after four-and-a-half days of deliberation, the jury only convicted him of second-degree murder. On December 5, he was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in prison.
Deputy Pohlman, 27, a five-year LASD veteran, was survived by his wife, Jenny, as well as a five-year-old son. Jenny was also pregnant with their daughter at the time of Tom’s murder.
On November 8, 2016, the freeway interchange where the 710 and 10 Freeways meet in East Los Angeles was renamed in honor of Deputy Pohlman. A ceremony commemorating this event took place a short distance away at the Sheriff’s Academy at Biscailuz Center. Jenny was one of the keynote speakers.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, ODMP, LASD, John Stanley
