Awards

The California Homicide Investigators Association congratulates the
2008 Homicide Investigators of the Year

Detective Bryan McMahon and Detective Patrick O’Dowd
Long Beach Police Department

Detective Bryan McMahon is a 23-year veteran of the Long Beach Police Department, assigned to the Homicide Unit for 14 years. His partner, Detective Patrick O’Dowd, is a 14-year veteran of the Department, with 2 years of homicide experience.

On a rainy March 28, 2006, just after 0600, Maria Rosa, an off-duty Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff, was shot to death in a quiet Long Beach neighborhood as she prepared to leave for work. Detectives McMahon and O’Dowd were assigned to lead the investigation. It was determined that there were no witnesses to the shooting and a paucity of physical evidence. Leaving no stone unturned, the detectives seized a BMX bicycle found near the crime scene, although there was no apparent link to the crime. More than 26 hours of security video was viewed, and 3 days were utilized to view 46,000 images from the Bank of America cameras, which provided the first clue to the suspects’ identities as the images of 2 individuals riding bicycles were seen.

Leading what became a 2-year long multi-jurisdictional investigation, Detectives McMahon and O’Dowd utilized personnel and resources from a variety of agencies, organizations and businesses. The investigation reflected a meticulous attention to detail, resourcefulness and imagination which led to the identification of two suspects, both of whom were incarcerated on unrelated charges. Eventually 15 undercover officers were inserted into the inmate population of 2 state prisons and the Los Angeles County Jail. During the undercover operation, in one of the most difficult moments of the case, one suspect was recorded on video singing, "I Shot the Sheriff."

In December 2007, one of the suspects was convicted of the murder of Deputy Rosa; the second suspect is scheduled for trail in March 2008.