By Dan Whitcomb
LOS ANGELES, Sept 23 (Reuters) – An actor was found dead and apparently murdered in the rented home of Canadian talk show host George Stroumboulopoulos in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, police and the television host said on Friday.
The body of Richard Hong, 41, was found at the home shortly after 2 a.m. PT (0900 GMT) by officers responding to reports of a break-in there, said Officer Norma Eisenman, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.
“Officers were directed to a male who appeared to be the victim of a homicide,” Eisenman said, adding that witnesses reported seeing a suspect fleeing the area on foot. The suspect remained at large Friday evening.
The Los Angeles Times, citing a coroner’s spokesman, said the victim suffered head trauma. Reuters could not immediately confirm this report with the coroner’s office.
“Many of you have seen the reports of a murder that occurred this morning in the house I rented in Los Angeles,” Stroumboulopoulos said in a post on Twitter.
“I only have a few details, but it looks like it was the result of a break-in,” he said. “The victim was a dear friend of mine who was staying with me while I was away. I am devastated.”
Stroumboulopoulos said he sent the message from a plane en route from New York to Los Angeles “so I could be there with my friends who are also devastated.”
Stroumboulopoulos, 44, is best known as the host of the CBC talk show “George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight.” He also served as host of Hockey Night in Canada.
reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Edited by Mary Milliken
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