Police say the woman, identified as 55-year-old Mayra Jimenez, suffered blunt-force trauma inside the couple’s North Hollywood residence.
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — An off-duty Glendale firefighter was booked on suspicion of murder late Wednesday after Los Angeles police found his wife dead during a pre-dawn welfare check at their North Hollywood home, authorities said.
Police identified the victim as Mayra Jimenez, 55. Her husband, Andrew Jimenez, 45, a firefighter and paramedic with the Glendale Fire Department since 2008, was taken into custody after he approached police hours earlier and asked officers to check on his wife. Investigators say the case appears to be domestic violence. City officials placed Jimenez on administrative leave. Detectives continued processing the scene through the day while family and neighbors gathered on the block, awaiting answers about what happened inside the house.
Officers said the sequence began around 4 a.m. Wednesday when a man went to a police station and requested a welfare check, telling officers he couldn’t reach his wife at their home on Satsuma Avenue. Patrol units arrived at the residence at about 4:25 a.m. and found a woman unresponsive with traumatic injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives later identified her as Mayra Jimenez. By evening, police confirmed her husband, Andrew Jimenez, had been detained and then booked on suspicion of murder. “This is a tragic case. Our hearts go out to the victim’s loved ones,” LAPD Officer Tony Im said in a brief statement outside the scene.
Investigators said evidence inside the home showed signs of a violent assault, and they recovered items for forensic testing. Authorities said an axe was collected from the residence as part of the investigation. They did not release a motive and declined to specify which object or objects caused the fatal injuries, citing the ongoing case. Records show the home sits in the 5600 block of Satsuma Avenue, a quiet stretch of single-family houses near Burbank Boulevard. Police said there is no broader threat to the neighborhood. Glendale officials said Jimenez was an off-duty member of the fire department and that the City of Glendale was cooperating with LAPD. Bail for Jimenez was set at $2 million, according to police.
Neighbors described the couple as generally private. One resident who lives across the street said she often saw the pair walking a small dog in the evenings. Another, who gave only his first name, said the block woke to sirens and a line of police cars before dawn. Public records and city statements show Andrew Jimenez joined Glendale Fire in 2008. Colleagues said he worked as a firefighter and paramedic and that counseling resources were being offered to department personnel. Friends of Mayra Jimenez described her as supportive and active in her church community. Authorities have not confirmed her workplace or recent employment status. Police said the coroner will determine her cause of death after an autopsy.
Domestic violence homicides account for a fraction of overall killings each year in Los Angeles but draw significant resources because they typically involve extensive scene work and interviews with family, friends and co-workers. The case arrives as the city tracks year-to-year changes in violent crime; police did not provide updated citywide homicide figures Wednesday. Andrew Jimenez’s arrest marks the second high-profile domestic violence homicide investigation this month involving a public employee in Southern California, though those cases are unrelated. Glendale officials emphasized that standard procedures apply to all employees, including immediate leave and cooperation with the lead agency.
Police said the next steps include a full autopsy by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner, analysis of the items seized at the scene, and additional interviews. Detectives will forward the case to the Los Angeles County district attorney for filing consideration once they complete the initial investigative packet. If charges are filed, Jimenez is expected to make an initial court appearance within 48 hours of booking, excluding weekends and holidays. Officials said updates on arraignment timing would come from the district attorney’s office. Glendale Fire said it would conduct its own administrative review after the criminal investigation progresses.
Residents returned to the block Wednesday evening as detectives wrapped up. A small cluster of candles appeared near the curb outside the home. “She was kind and always waved,” said a neighbor who asked not to be named. A Glendale Fire spokesperson said the department was “shocked and saddened” and had reached out to support employees. A family member outside the scene declined comment, saying only that the family needed time to process the news.
As of late Wednesday, Andrew Jimenez remained in custody on suspicion of murder. Police said further information, including the autopsy findings and any charging decision, could be released by Friday, Jan. 23.
Author note: Last updated January 22, 2026.