British photojournalist Paul Lowe was fatally stabbed on a California hiking trail, and his teenage son has been arrested on suspicion of murder, police said.
Lowe, who covered conflicts such as the siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War, was found dead in the San Gabriel Mountains on October 12.
The 60-year-old man had been stabbed in the neck, according to records from the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office.
Ms Lowe’s 19-year-old son Emil was charged with one count of murder and was scheduled to appear in West Covina court on Wednesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told the PA news agency.
“The Homicide Bureau today submitted this case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for review,” the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told PA.
“The District Attorney’s Office has charged Emile Rowe with one count of murder for the murder of his father, Christian Paul Rowe. No additional information is available at this time.”
Police said the incident occurred on Mount Baldy Road near Stoddard Canyon Falls around 3:28 p.m. The sheriff’s office said officers responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and found an “adult white male suffering from trauma to his upper body.”
“San Bernardino Fire Department personnel responded and pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
“An adult white male was seen driving away from the scene and was subsequently involved in a single-person traffic accident several miles away. The male was detained pending further investigation.
“The investigation is ongoing, but we have no additional information at this time.”
King’s College London, where Mr Lowe was visiting professor of war studies, said the award-winning photojournalist would be “deeply missed”.
A statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) read:
“Paul was a Visiting Professor in the School of War Studies, Professor of Photojournalism at the University of the Arts London, and an award-winning photojournalist at the Seventh Academy. He was a deeply influential friend, colleague, and collaborator, and we have had the opportunity to collaborate with him on several projects related to art and reconciliation.
“His boundless energy, warmth, creativity, spontaneity and enthusiasm were contagious and a unique inspiration. He will be sorely missed. During this difficult time, we wish to honor his My heartfelt condolences to the family.”
In August 2022, Mr Lowe spoke about his work in besieged Sarajevo in the Guardian’s photo series ‘My Best Shots’. “There was a sense of disbelief that something like this was happening in a European capital.”
With the Press Association
