The family of a mother and daughter who were shot to death in a drive-by shooting in Compton last month made impassioned pleas to the public for help in finding their alleged killer at a news conference on Wednesday.
On April 1 at approximately 7:15 p.m., La’von Hall and her daughter Ma’laysia Martin were sitting inside a Toyota coupe at the intersection of West Caldwell Street and South Central Avenue when another vehicle pulled up beside them and fired several shots.
Deputies arrived at the scene to find the Toyota had stopped on the sidewalk near a traffic pole. Both Hall, 45, and Martin, 22, were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators found that Hall had exited the vehicle after being shot but collapsed in the street; Martin was found deceased inside the car.
Authorities were initially unable to establish a motive, but Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Steven DeJong told KTLA hours after the shooting that the incident was not believed to be gang-related.
Detectives later identified the suspect in the shooting as Hall’s “estranged boyfriend” Donte Lamont Brown. In a bulletin issued April 3, LASD stated that they had “exhausted all leads” and asked for the public’s help in locating Brown, 41, who they described as armed and dangerous.
More than a month after the murders, Brown has yet to be located, and the sheriff’s department has now announced a $20,000 reward for any information leading to his arrest and conviction.
At a press conference Wednesday, the victims’ loved ones, joined by Compton Mayor Emma Sharif, spoke out and urged those with information to not hesitate in contacting law enforcement should they know something.
“I’m from the streets — I know everybody talks about snitching and stuff like that — but if you think it’s okay for a man to kill two innocent women, you got a problem,” said the victims’ uncle, B.A. Adams.
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Compton Mayor Emma Sharif speaks at a press conference announcing a $20,000 reward for the alleged killer of a mother and daughter on May 14, 2025. (KTLA) -
The uncle of two women who were killed in a drive-by shooting speaks at a press conference announcing a $20,000 reward for their alleged killer on May 14, 2025.(KTLA)
“If you have any information, no matter how small, please come forward,” Mayor Sharif said. “Your courage could help deliver justice to this grieving family.”
Donte Lamont Brown is described as standing 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing 245 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes, and is known to frequent Long Beach and Compton.
Anyone with information surrounding Brown’s whereabouts is asked to call the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. To report information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit lacrimestoppers.org.
