Police have arrested a homeless woman and charged her with the murder of a Hollywood marketing consultant and social justice advocate after she reportedly broke into his home on Monday.
The Los Angeles Police Department reports that Michael Latt, 33, was found dead in his Alandele Avenue home from a gunshot to the head. A woman, identified as Jameelah Elena Michl, 36, was reportedly arrested at the scene, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Police officials say that Michl was apparently living in her car which was parked nearby. Officers also say that the suspect and the victim did not appear to know each other and it did not appear that Latt had invited Michl into his home while he and his fiancé were in the residence.
“When officers arrived, they discovered the resident of the home had been shot by an intruder,” the LAPD said in a statement, Patch reported. “Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported the victim to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.”
Michl is being held in lieu of $3-million bail.
Latt was the founder of Lead With Love, an entertainment marketing consulting firm that worked to elevate black performers and other “unrepresented” artists. The victim’s father is Hollywood film producer David Latt and his mother is Michelle Satter, the founder and senior director of the Sundance Institute.
Latt has collaborated with actors and filmmakers, and including Common, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, Barry Jenkins and many more. He most recently had a hand in Martin Scorsese‘s western epic, Killers of the Flower Moon.
Latt was also affiliated with “Blackout for Human Rights,” a group Hollywood artists dedicated to fighting violence and empowering communities through art, KTLA reported.
“The moment I realized that I could use my skill set for social good, I decided to dedicate the rest of my career to helping others, empowering storytellers of color, and fighting injustice wherever it stands,” Latt told Forbes in 2019.
The crime left Latt’s friends and co-workers stunned and many leapt to social media to leave tributes to a man many called a “social justice warrior.”
“Our beloved son, brother, grandson, fiancé, Michael Latt, fell victim to a tragic act of violence this week. Michael devoted his career to supporting artists, championing organizations that raised up women and artists of color and leveraged storytelling for enduring change. We celebrate his legacy, love and compassion,” the Latt family wrote in a statement.
Others also praised Latt as an “ally” to the black community.
I lost another friend this week and trying to hold all this grief is impossible. He was the definitive ally—used every tool he had to elevate the voices and work of Black creatives. So much love to his mother and family and everyone who knew him. https://t.co/qEVmJ6EOzx
— Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) November 29, 2023
Tragedy in LA: #MichaelLatt, 33, founder of #LeadWithLove, was fatally shot by a homeless intruder named Jameelah Michl. Our deepest condolences to his loved ones. May his dedication to social justice inspire us to keep pushing for a better world. 💔 pic.twitter.com/3lM8apIYpr
— RouteX (@Updates01X) November 30, 2023
Our beloved son Michael Latt fell victim to a tragic act of violence this week. Michael devoted his career to supporting artists, championing organizations that raised up artists of color, & leveraged storytelling for enduring change. We celebrate his legacy, love & compassion. pic.twitter.com/AlhuNNBWXZ
— Michelle Satter (@SundanceSatter) November 29, 2023
I cannot even begin to express what we’ve lost with Michael Latt’s murder. He was the absolute best of us. Rest in Power, my friend. https://t.co/AGw28wx65q pic.twitter.com/z1aQANU3TI
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) November 29, 2023
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