Remember the Sleepy Lagoon

TCTN's Raymond Fernandez revisits the mysterious murder that occured in 1942 at a reservoir nicknamed the Sleepy Lagoon. Fernandez interviews close relative of Ysmael Parra, aka 'Smiles'. Smiles was wrongly arrested for the murder of Jose Diaz - a murder that would later spark the Zoot Suit Riots in 1943.

[@dannymendoza4197]

His name was Jose Diaz

[@MrAlbee-rc2cg]

The actor who played Smiles is Enrique Castillo. He played the Montana character in the movie Blood In Blood Out. Castillo was cast in the role of Smiley Torres in the 1978 stage production of Zoot-Suit and later went on to take the titular role of Henry Reyna.

[@rgv2104]

The Democrats have always made Raza suffer even 90 or 80 years ago. In the 1940s it was this mess with Sleepy Lagoon later what they did at Chavez Ravine pushing Raza out and in 1970 the murder of Ruben Salazar no one was charged.

[@angelchavez458]

I grew up in all that but I'm proud to be Chicano

[@deusrex4259]

Those Democrats you're talking about are today's Republicans. From the sixties on up it's been the Democrats who've supported the rights of people of all races, colors and creeds.

[@jr5226]

@@deusrex4259Wrong, look at what’s going on now. The Dems are evil as hell.

[@justingantt9896]

​@deusrex4259 not true. Every single person in Bell who was convicted was a Democrat. Mostly Latinos. And their connections to HP, Cudahy and the rest of SELA are the same. The corruption is still in Bell and elsewhere.

[@tommygarcia4320]

Exactly! Make sure you hold your Bible, right side up...

[@goodtimesbadtimes1190]

Jose Gallardo Diaz , was the name of the victim from the sleepy lagoon, Hector Diaz may Be wrong.

[@sauluribe7082]

I don't know if anyone kept track of what used to be a ranch, that lagoon and the actual murder spot which is now a business park. It's right between Maywood and Commerce and the 710 goes through it.

[@jonathanzamoran3241]

Yup I’ve seen a lot of ufo activity at the slauson bridge la river I’ve seen a ufo land inside the army base r there fr on everything I love

[@bills.1390]

My late father-in-law was Bobby Telles, does anyone remember him ? He passed away in 1967. I didn't know about this until years after I married his daughter. He was a great guy for the short time I knew him before he passed.

[@thesecurioustimesnews2680]

Hi Bill. We just noticed this comment. We would like to talk more about Bobby. Please email us at [e-mail]

[@bills.1390]

I will send you an e-mail soon with as much as I can remember about him. My only son, Robert Michael S. is named after him. I called him Mr.T way back then in 1966, when the Mr. T we know from the movies was about 14 years old. Bobby Telles had four children, two girls and two boys, in age order: Sheila, Sandy, Robert and Michael. I was married to Sheila for 19 years. Bobby was laid to rest I believe it was in January 1967 from a long illness, I believe he was at Belvidere and White memorial hospitals in East LA, eventually to La Vina sanatorium in Altadena is where he passed. He resided in Rowland Heights, Ca when I met his daughter in 1966, we were classmates at John A. Rowland HS.

[@berzerker1100]

This was a very interesting video, I'm still learning some new facts about the Pachuco/ zoot-suit era of los angeles, i know a lot of innocent ppl were Railroaded; framed,back in those days. there was a world war going on so the Status quo didn't really care so much about these youngsters & justice for them, Thank you for sharing this !

[@MrJintensive]

I have always wondered what the reservoir lookes like? Trees and all cool or just water?

[@romannunez32]

Wasted of time I came here to see the story of this man from sleepy lagoon all I got was Suit suit history

[@adamferencszi797]

Where did you film this ? By Lindbergh Lane and eastern or by Rickenbacker. What part of the area did you say doesn't match the rest? The whole lane looks very industrial

[@PhilAVega]

I think this area was by Atlantic Blvd going into the city of Maywood. Slauson was down the street. I remember hearing about this on a tv program. I think it was Unsolve murders with Robert Stack as the narrator. That area back then was like a swampy location. I remember something about a guy going to see a girl at a house there. A party was happening that night. Things were going good until some tough guys showed up. Then things went bad for this guy. I think it was a knife wound that got him. The house seem to be the only one there at the time. Please correct me on my words. I'm just remembering the tv show n the story. I think it was a foggy night when this happened. The area also had a certain type of tree growing that you find near a Lagoon. There was a small body of water near that location.

[@adamferencszi797]

@PhilAVega I live in Maywood 😄 not too far from the slauson Atlantic intersection. That's why discovering that the sleepy lagoon was literally less than a mile or 2 away has fascinated me because there are almost no vestiges of that era. But yes. I think your narrative is just about right. I remember reading the judge's account of the murder as such. They were partying in a community called William's Ranch (which despite its moniker) didn't seem to be much of a ranch The place doesn't look familiar. 🤔

[@nicolewhite5608]

My uncle is next to yours in the picture at are in prison. His name is Henry Leyvas.

[@user-kasper714oclhmns]

💎

[@jb.8992]

Yo Adrian….!

[@user-kasper714oclhmns]

👻

[@Californiansurfer]

❤❤❤. 2023. Evergreen by Naomi Hirahara. 1947 Japanese American are released from camps and sent to Chicago and return to Little Tokyo and find Bronzville black community. Great book. Ps. Hammer Japanese American Zoot suiter 😂😂😂😂

[@user-kasper714oclhmns]

In sleep👻

[@jonathanzamoran3241]

Crazy how I grew up close to the sleepy lagoon but there’s no lagoon there now and it’s haunted asf around that area I’ve seen a lot of paranormal and ufo sightings around the sleepy lagoon area near slauson blvd la river bridge

[@smuggledaudio6121]

Interesting… “De Rouse” “De Lama” both father and the daughter don’t have “Mexican” last names

[@redchangoTRDD]

Why would that matter? One could be related through maternal family lines, and the other married with a name change.

[@MrJintensive]

Correction. Spanish surnames. Mexican is a nationality not a race.

[@caraqueno]

Tell Salma Hayek, Bruno Kecker, Demian Bichir, and Carlos Slim that they're not Mexican because their last names aren't "Mexican"!

[@05gtdriver]

De Ruse and De Lama are both of Spanish origin, hence the use of "De" meaning "Of". Both names are derivatives of older names, most likely European/Russian. I love how people enjoy assuming things instead of doing a little research...

[@Adeus1]

While Lucille Roybal first Mexican American elected US congresswoman. Not "Mexican" sounding is it?

[@jonathanzamoran3241]

Mi grew near the sleepy lagoon near slauson by the La river on maywood and near the sleepy lagoon me and my homies have seen shadow people paranormal shit around there and ufo activity

[@Pullinoutteeth]

Camera is horrible.