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The Los Angeles wildfires have left at least 11 dead, with six in the Eaton Fire and five in the Palisades Fire. Five of the total fatalities were residents of a tight-knit neighborhood in Altadena, located near the city’s eastern edge. Bordering Angeles National Forest, the area is home to families who have lived there for generations. Here are the details of these five victims that have recently emerged.
Anthony Mitchell and Justin Mitchell
Anthony Mitchell lived with his two sons, Justin and Jordan, in a family home that had been passed down through two generations. Justin, in his 30s, had cerebral palsy, and Jordan, also in his 30s, cared for both his brother and their father, who was experiencing health issues of his own, according to a report by The New York Times.
Earlier in the week, Jordan had been hospitalized with sepsis, leaving Anthony and Justin alone at home. On Wednesday morning at 5 am local time, Anthony called his eldest son, Anthony Mitchell Jr, 46, to say he and Justin were waiting to be evacuated. Later that day, Anthony contacted his daughter, Hajime White, in Arkansas, telling her a fire had broken out across the street.
“He said he was sure help would arrive soon,” Mitchell Jr recounted, as quoted by The New York Times. Tragically, by 8 pm, both Anthony and Justin were found dead.
“I felt the system let them down,” Mitchell Jr said. “I think the system that handled the people who died up there let them down.”
Anthony Mitchell was well-loved in the community. According to his son, he always took an interest in neighborhood children, offering advice and asking about their progress in school.
“My dad was just one of those people,” Mitchell Jr. said. “You would meet him, and he would make friends with you real quick.”
Anthony had worked in sales at Radio Shack before earning a degree to become a respiratory therapist. However, he eventually returned to sales after the emotional toll of seeing patients pass away became too great.
Mitchell struggled with personal loss as well; his wife passed away in October, and his first wife—Mitchell Jr’s mother—died just a month before the fire.
“My dad was going through a lot, but he always held on,” Mitchell Jr said. In his neighborhood, Anthony was known for his grilling skills, often taking charge of the barbecue at block gatherings.
Justin, described by his brother as loving and cheerful, enjoyed coloring, cartoons, and books. “You couldn’t help but love him,” Mitchell Jr said. “And if he thought you were sad, he’d say, ‘You’ll be OK!'”
Victor Shaw
Victor Shaw, 66, lived on Monterosa Drive, a cul-de-sac near Angeles National Forest. His tiled-roof family home had been in his family since childhood, and he was deeply committed to maintaining it.
“The house had a whole lot of significance for him,” said neighbor Willie Jackson, 81, who had lived on Monterosa Drive since the 1970s. Jackson recalled how Shaw’s father, Frank, and mother, Freddye, had meticulously cared for the property and encouraged others to do the same.
Shaw, who never married, worked as a bloodmobile driver and later did contract deliveries. He was known for his dedication to maintaining the yard, a tradition passed down from his father.
On Tuesday, when evacuation orders were issued, most neighbors, including Jackson, packed up and left. Shaw, however, stayed behind to protect the home. News reports indicate he was determined to save it.
The next day, Jackson’s son, William, returned to survey the fire damage. He found a relative of Shaw’s searching the property. Together, they called Shaw’s name, hoping he was alive but injured. Instead, they found him lying in the front yard with a garden hose and a gutter pipe, attempting to fight the fire alone.
Rodney Nickerson
Rodney Nickerson, 82, lived on a street near Shaw’s home but did not evacuate. A retired aerospace engineer for Lockheed Martin, Nickerson came from a distinguished family. His grandfather founded Golden State Mutual Life, and Nickerson Gardens, a public housing project in Watts, was named in his honor.
Rodney was a devoted father and active church deacon. His wife, Suzette, passed away in 2018, and he clung to her belongings, unable to part with her clothes, jewelry, or cookbooks.
His family urged him to leave as the fire approached, but he believed it would bypass his house. Tragically, the house was destroyed, and much of the water in the swimming pool evaporated in the intense heat. His daughter, Kimiko, told local news outlets that she found only his remains in bed.
Erliene Kelley
Erliene Kelley, a retired pharmacy technician, lived just blocks from Shaw and Nickerson. A longtime resident of the neighborhood, she was remembered by neighbors Rita and Terry Pyburn for her kindness.
“She was so, so, so sweet,” Terry said, recalling their friendly chats about gardening and local events. “She was an angel. That’s the perfect neighbor. When you see her, you have a smile.”
Terry criticised the delayed evacuation alerts, saying they believed their area was safe until they smelled smoke and received the emergency alert too late.
“It was panic,” he said. “Everyone took off, and no one thought to check on anybody.”
Erliene died in her home during the fire, leaving her neighbors and community grieving the loss of a beloved friend.
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