Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Otto Ellinger was shot and killed by a man who had just shot a woman whom he was infatuated with.
Deputy Ellinger, who also served as a captain with the MGM Studio Police Department through a contract with the sheriff's department, was driving home from a meeting with other peace officers when he saw the woman and a friend near the intersection of Vinton Street and Venice Boulevard, in Culver City. He recognized the women as being employees of MGM Studios and pulled his car over to talk with them.
As they spoke, the male subject approached the woman, pulled out a handgun, and shot her without warning, wounded her seriously. Deputy Ellinger exited his vehicle and started struggling with the subject but was also shot. He was transported to Culver City Community Hospital, where he died a short time later.
The suspect, 60, surrendered to police four days later. He later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years.
Deputy Ellinger had served with the MGM Police Department for five years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-69C5E5F0- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Ellinger gave the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Ellinger.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Otto R. Ellinger is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept., 58 of 120 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 48.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Otto R. Ellinger's cause is highlighted.
How Otto R. Ellinger Compares
Offender Outcome
Guilty of manslaughter
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Otto R. Ellinger is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Otto R. Ellinger was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
119 officers from Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
