Pasadenan Arrested for Murder After Man Drowns in Claremont Saturday

Claremont police arrested a 34-year-old Pasadena resident Saturday after their investigation concluded his actions contributed to the drowning death of a man.

In a statement, police said that officers had been called to assist L.A. County Fire Dept. paramedics at the scene of a drowning in the 900 block of Appalachian in Claremont about 8 p.m.

The victim, a 39-year-old man, was not breathing and did not have a pulse. He was given aid and transported to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The identification of the victim is pending notification of next of kin.

A police investigation determined that the victim and the suspect were in the swimming pool together. While in the pool, the suspect allegedly held the victim under the water, which police believe to have contributed to his subsequent drowning and death.

Claremont police said their conclusion was based on their follow-up investigation, which included viewing video surveillance footage of the incident.

The suspect is Masoud Bitarafan of Pasadena.

Bitarafan was arrested for murder. He was booked at the Claremont Police Department Jail, where he is being held in lieu of $5 million bail. City News Service, however, reported that a search of jail records put Bitarafan’s bail at $2 million.

He is scheduled to be arraigned in Pomona Superior Court on June 16.