Woman's Mother And Sister Fight Off And Kill Her Attacker: LASD

SOUTH PASADENA, CA — A 40-year-old domestic violence suspect who broke into his estranged ex-girlfriend's home and began choking her was killed when the woman's mother and sister came to her aid Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and the South Pasadena Police Department.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office identified the man as Justin Goss of Glendale.

South Pasadena police officers were dispatched to a domestic violence call shortly before 10 a.m. Saturday in the 530 block of Five Oaks Drive, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Shawn Du Busky said.

Officers at the scene found the front window shattered and heard a screaming woman inside. The officers entered and found Goss stabbed and beaten.

Detectives later determined Goss had broken into the residence and attacked his estranged girlfriend, Du Busky said. While he was allegedly choking his ex-girlfriend, the woman's mother and sister came to her aid. During the ensuing struggle, Goss was stabbed and beaten with a golf club, authorities said.

“They tried to pull him off, and it didn’t work; he was too strong,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Barry Hall told the Los Angeles Times. “So they had to resort to using weapons.”

His ex-girlfriend was taken to a hospital for treatment of facial injuries.

Goss was pronounced dead at the scene.

The sheriff's Homicide Bureau urged anyone with information about the incident to call them at 323-890-5500. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

The women are not facing charges, Hall told the Los Angeles Times.

“They were well within their right to act in defense of their sister and daughter,” he said.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.