With profound sadness and heavy hearts, the Los Angelees County Sheriff’s Department has announced the death of three detectives in the explosion on the morning of Friday, July 18 at the Biscailuz Center Training Academy in East Los Angeles: Detective Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Detective Victor Lemus and Detective William Osborn who were all assigned to Special Enforcement Bureau’s Arson Explosives Detail.

“There are no words to express the pain and sorrow we feel,” said Sheriff Robert Luna. “These heroes represented the best of our Department, exemplifying courage, integrity, and selfless service. This is not only a heartbreaking loss for their families, but for all of us.”

Detective Kelley-Eklund joined the LASD in March 2006 under Class 348. He was later assigned to the Pitchess Detention Center North and North County Correctional Facility. He later transferred to Lennox Sheriff Station in 2010 and became a Field Training Officer at South Los Angeles Station, mentoring several new deputies as trainees. He was known as an outstanding field training officer who was professional and articulate.

Kelley-Eklund was later promoted to the rank of Detective at Narcotics Bureau in 2016 where he was assigned to the LA Impact Team investigating complex crimes, seizing large quantities of narcotics, and assisting in the arrests of murder suspects. In 2022 he became an Arson and Explosive Investigator with the Special Enforcement Bureau and received his bomb tech certifications as well as other training accolades.

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

Detective Victor Lemus joined the LASD on July 1, 2003, as a Security Assistant. He graduated as a part of deputy sheriff Class 339 in 2003 before he was assigned to Twin Towers Correctional Facility where he ran on the Baker to Vegas running team.

Following that, he transferred to Century Station, where he worked as a Senior Training Officer and Detective. At Century Station he continued running on Baker to Vegas teams as an anchor for some of the most difficult legs of the relay race.

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. He received commendations for his ability to mentor and train fellow deputies as well as notable arrests involving career criminals.

Lemus is survived by his wife, Sheriff’s Department Detective Nancy Lemus and three daughters. He has four sisters, who are also on the Department, Sergeant Belen Lemus at Special Victims Bureau, Deputy Perla Lemus at Century Sheriff Station, Custody Assistant Wendy Lemus of Population and Management Bureau, and Employee Services Assistant Julia Villacis. He is also survived by his brothers Alfredo, Pedro, Miguel, Efren and his sisters Kathy, Judith, Lorena, and Peggy. He also has two brothers-in-law on the Department, Sergeant Robert Catalan, who is assigned to Carson Station, and Intermediate Clerk Hernan Villacis, and nephew Diego Villacis, a Parking Control Officer.

Detective William Osborn graduated from the deputy sheriff Class 278 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 transferred to Industry Station in 2001 and was promoted to the rank of Detective, where he received commendations for his work recovering stolen vehicles. After working as a detective for over a decade, handling over a hundred cases each year, Osborn transferred to Training Bureau as an Emergency Vehicle Operations Center Instructor in 2016. Yet his love for investigations drew him back to detectives. Osborn later joined Special Enforcement Bureau as an Arson and Explosive Investigator in 2019.

As an Arson investigator, he handled cases involving high dollar loss fires in residential properties, as well as fires involving the loss of life. He was a peer leader and took on the role of mentoring newly assigned investigators. He was described as “one of tenured bomb technicians regularly relied upon when faced with a new challenge. He has broad range of experience and could be relied upon to provide relevant insight on broad range of subjects.”

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

Details regarding memorial services will be announced in the coming days. The LASD has begun peer support services and chaplain assistance for staff and the families of the fallen deputies.

The family asks for privacy and compassion during this tragic time. The Department will continue to support the families, and our personnel throughout this difficult time.