UPDATE: Man who Died Following Alleged Beating on MTA Bus Near Culver City Identified

An autopsy is pending today on the body of an 89-year-old man who died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center this weekend, three weeks after he was allegedly beaten on an MTA bus near Culver City.

Coroner's Lt. Joe Bale said the victim was David C. Martinez. Authorities said he was assaulted on a bus near Venice Boulevard in Los Angeles near Main Street in Culver City on Oct. 21 for reasons that remain unclear.

Luke Schoedel, 35, was arrested at the scene of the attack three Sundays ago, a sheriff's spokesman said. He was booked for felony assault and felony elder abuse and remained jailed in lieu of $80,000 bail, according to jail records.

Schoedel might be charged with more serious crimes if the autopsy justifies that, spokesman Steve Whitmore told City News Service.

"We are waiting for the coroner to determine the cause of death," Whitmore said. "We don't know yet whether the man died as a result of that assault, or for some other reason."

The elderly man was treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, but left the hospital. He checked himself back in to Cedars-Sinai last Tuesday, and died at 5:30 a.m. Saturday, Whitmore said.

Detectives were not sure if the alleged bus assault, or the victim's advanced age led to his death.

"That's why we're not sure what caused his death," Whitmore said. He said he had "no idea" what the victim's attending physician at Cedars-Sinai might think caused the man's death.

Sheriff's homicide detectives responded to the hospital as part of their continuing investigation into this crime, he said.

"If the coroner determines the man died as a result of the assault, then Schoedel may be rebooked on a murder charge," Whitmore said. "But right now we're waiting on the coroner's report."

Schoedel was scheduled to appear for arraignment on Dec. 12 at the Airport Court near Los Angeles International Airport.

This was one of two recent assaults on MTA buses near Culver City. On Wednesday, a South Los Angeles man allegedly stalked and then raped an 18-year- old woman who has the mental capacity of a child, sheriff's deputies said.

Kerry Trotter, 20, was arrested at a home in the 1400 block of West 99th Street in Los Angeles, said Sgt. Dan Scott of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Sheriff's detectives said the woman and suspect had boarded the bus at the same time at La Cienega and Jefferson boulevards, and he followed her to the rear of the bus and raped her as it crossed Culver City.

The only other passenger on the bus tried unsuccessfully to get the driver's attention, according to sheriff's deputies, who said Trotter got off the bus at Sepulveda Boulevard and Slauson Avenue.

Trotter remained jailed on a no bail hold, according to jail records. Scott said Trotter "has an extensive criminal history, including charges of sexual assault."

Trotter will be arraigned Wednesday at the Airport Court in Los Angeles.