*Cheyenne Zampino, a 27-year-old Black woman, was killed inside the Santa Monica residential care facility where she lived — and Monday, a Los Angeles civil rights organization is taking its demand for answers directly to The Manor, the facility where she died.
Project Islamic Hope is calling on California Attorney General Rob Bonta to launch an independent investigation into Zampino’s July 25 death and whether security or supervision failures at the state-licensed facility may have left residents vulnerable.
The organization is holding a press conference Monday, Aug. 24, at 11 a.m. at The Manor, 1905 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405. Project Islamic Hope Director Najee Ali is expected to address concerns about security, visitor access, staffing, supervision and state oversight.
“The central question is simple: Could this tragedy have been prevented?” the organization said in announcing the press conference.
What Happened to Cheyenne Zampino?
The Santa Monica Police Department said officers responded to the 1900 block of Pico Boulevard at approximately 5:21 p.m. July 25 following a report of a woman needing medical assistance.
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Officers found a woman suffering from significant injuries. Santa Monica firefighters attempted lifesaving measures, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
CBS Los Angeles reported that the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the victim as Zampino. Police also confirmed to the outlet that the killing occurred at The Manor, where Zampino was a resident, and that she was found in a bathroom.
Project Islamic Hope says Zampino suffered severe sharp-force injuries to her neck. Its release also cites neighbors as saying she had moved into the facility approximately two weeks before the killing.
Taylor Roger Free Charged with Murder
Police identified Taylor Roger Free, 35, of San Luis Obispo, as the suspect.
According to authorities, investigators developed information about a possible suspect from witness statements and circulated it to regional law enforcement agencies. Los Angeles police located Free near Crenshaw and Exposition boulevards later that evening, and he was taken into custody.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office subsequently charged Free with one count of murder under California Penal Code 187(a). His bail was set at $2 million.
Free is accused, not convicted, in Zampino’s death.
Project Islamic Hope says Free was not a resident of The Manor, an assertion at the center of its demand for an investigation. The organization wants authorities to determine how the accused man allegedly gained access and what visitor safeguards were operating at the facility.
Why The Manor’s Security Is Under Scrutiny
The Manor isn’t a conventional apartment complex. The Santa Monica Daily Press reports that the facility is licensed through the California Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing and has provided room, board and supervision to adults with mental illness and developmental disabilities since 1965. The newspaper also reported that The Manor has been a frequent source of calls to police and has previously drawn criticism from surrounding neighborhoods.
Project Islamic Hope now wants investigators to examine whether visitors were required to sign in and out or provide identification, whether extended-stay visitors were permitted, how residents and communal areas were supervised, and whether there were previous security complaints, incidents or regulatory violations involving unauthorized people.
Those are questions and allegations to be investigated, not findings that The Manor violated state regulations or bears responsibility for Zampino’s death.
“Cheyenne Zampino was only 27 years old,” Ali said. “Her family placed her in a state-licensed facility because they had every reason to believe she would be safe and properly supervised.”
“If someone who was not a resident was able to enter the facility and allegedly commit a murder,” he continued, “we have a responsibility to find out exactly how that happened.”
Project Islamic Hope Wants State Action
Ali emphasized that his organization is not attempting to determine Free’s guilt.
“We are not prejudging the criminal case against the accused,” he said. “We are demanding accountability and answers about the facility’s safety procedures.”
Project Islamic Hope wants Bonta’s office to review The Manor’s licensing, staffing, security, visitor-access policies, prior complaints, inspections and compliance with applicable regulations. If serious violations are found, the group wants California to consider enforcement action, including suspension or revocation of the facility’s license if legally warranted.
“This is bigger than one tragic death,” Ali said. “This is about whether vulnerable Californians living in licensed care facilities are actually being protected.”
Monday’s press conference puts that question directly outside the criminal case. Prosecutors will pursue their allegations against Free.
Project Islamic Hope wants California to determine something different: whether every reasonable safeguard was in place to protect Cheyenne Zampino before she was killed.
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