(L.A.) Richard Hong, 41, Died by Homicide

Case Number: 2016-06897

Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 41-year-old Asian male that occurred at a residence.

The coroner’s office has identified the man as Richard Hong.

Manner of Death: Homicide

Cause of Death: Multiple Blunt Force Injuries

RIP RICHARD HONG (February 27, 1975 – September 23, 2016)

Formal pronouncement of death was made on Friday at 3:01 a.m.

The decedent was a Canadian actor based in L.A. He was found dead in the 6700 block of Milner Road in Hollywood Hills. He had been staying at the home of Canadian talk show host George Stroumboulopoulos when he was attacked.

Stroumboulopoulos was in New York when the murder happened.

The victim was found by Hollywood-area officers who were responding to a burglary call.

 
Richard Hong was possibly of Korean descent.

UPDATE: Keenon Jamal Buchanan Jr. was convicted of first-degree murder for the killing.

Buchanan was arrested in Arizona just over a week after the slaying.

Shortly before being sentenced in October 2021, the defendant said he had difficulty remembering if he was in the house or if he took the victim’s cell phone, but acknowledged he had the phone with him when he was taken into custody.

“At the time I was in … Los Angeles, I was homeless so I didn’t have a proper place to sleep. … On top of that, I was intoxicated,” the defendant said.