Governor Newsom and Acting Governor Kounalakis honor fallen Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Detectives

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom and Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis issued the following statement regarding the deaths of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus, and William Osborn:

“Detectives Kelley-Eklund, Lemus, and Osborn proudly served the Los Angeles community with courage and honor. We are holding their families and the entire Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in our hearts. We will never forget their service to our communities and their sacrifice.”

On July 18, 2025, shortly after 7:30 a.m., three veteran members assigned to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Arson Explosives Detail were killed in an explosion at Biscailuz Training Facility in the unincorporated area of City Terrace in East Los Angeles. This tragedy marks the agency’s largest loss of life in a single incident since 1857.

Detective Kelley-Eklund joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in March 2006. He was later assigned to the Pitchess Detention Center North and North County Correctional Facility, then transferred to Lennox Sheriff Station in 2010 and became a Field Training Officer at South Los Angeles Station. In 2016, Detective Kelley-Eklund was assigned to the LA Impact Team in the Narcotics Bureau. In 2022, he became an Arson and Explosive Investigator with the Special Enforcement Bureau.

Detective Kelley-Eklund is survived by his wife, Jessica Eklund and their seven children. 

Detective Victor Lemus joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on July 1, 2003, as a Security Assistant. He completed the Deputy Sheriff Academy in 2003 before he was assigned to Twin Towers Correctional Facility. Following that, he transferred to Century Station, where he worked as a Senior Training Officer and Detective. He transferred to the Special Enforcement Bureau in 2017 where he was assigned as a K-9 Handler prior to becoming an Arson and Explosive Investigator last year. 

Detective Lemus is survived by his wife, Sheriff’s Department Detective Nancy Lemus, three daughters, and his siblings. His three sisters are also employed by the Department, in addition to his brother-in-law. 

Detective William Osborn graduated from the Deputy Sheriff Academy in February 1992 before being assigned to Men’s Central Jail. He then transferred to Pico Rivera Station in 1998 as a Patrol Deputy. He moved to Industry Station in 2001 and was promoted to the rank of Detective. After working as a detective for over a decade, he transferred to the Training Bureau as an Emergency Vehicle Operations Center Instructor in 2016. Detective Osborn later joined the Special Enforcement Bureau as an Arson and Explosive Investigator in 2019.

He is survived by his wife, Detective Shannon Rincon, four sons, and two daughters.

In honor of Detectives Kelley-Eklund, Lemus, and Osborn, flags at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space will be flown at half-staff.