Former El Segundo man found shot to death in West LA

[buster]

He conned the most vunerable, then ran into some one who decided he needed to pay. Ask Marvin.

[freddy]

Yes he was very generous, he was spending working people's money on a life style at the Bel Air Country Club,whilst those he conned had to try to pick up the remains of their lives.

[anonymous]

It is very disrespectful to talk ill of the dead like many on this post are doing. No one knows who killed Richard Traweek. It could be that he surprised a car thief, and knowing Dick and his pride and honor as a man, he would have confronted the man or even gone after him. We don't know what happened. But I do know that he never ever meant to hurt or "rip off" anyone. I would swear to it in court, and I was there witnessing every transaction first hand during the 70's. To answer one of you above, No, Dick never made a bad deal intentionally. He would never ever do that. He tried his very best. He worked long hours, sometimes well past midnight always talking business and real estate deals. As we are all well aware, the real estate market is volatile and what happened was not Dick's fault - the market fell apart in the 80's and he did his best to hold it together.

[anonymous]

And let us not forget that Dick was a self made man. He was proud of that. He had not gone to college, nor did he come from money. He was very open and honest about his roots and the fact that his father was very poor when Dick was born. Dick was self-taught and self-made - a fact I greatly admired about him. He picked up where his father had started and drove a fledgling real estate investment business into a multi-million dollar enterprise in a matter of years during the late 70's. Dick was a genius - charasmatic, smart, and a great negotiator. He really could have gone on into politics if fate had not given him a bad turn.

[anonymous]

continued from above... yes, Dick lived the high life. He spent the money he made freely and he was generous with his friends, his family and with his employees. I have never worked, in all my work experience since those days, for anyone as generous as Dick. I will never forget how he flew the entire company to Las Vegas after one of his real estate deals closed - everyone and their partner or spouse - over 80 people. All the way down to the secretaries and the handyman. WOW - what a man - and I will never forget him. Simply put for those of you who don't know what happened - he was sued, he lost, and being that he had not saved for a rainy day he did not have any saved capital to hold him during a time of trouble.

[anonymous]

continued from above...and to make it clear, the money he spent on the trip to Las Vegas was his own. He received fees for being the general partner of the investment partnerships. He also received fees for property management. That is how he made his money. People invested in the properties, and relied on Dick and his company to oversee everything, negotiate, decide when to sell in order to make a profit. Again, as I stated above, no one can forsee a downturn in the market, just as we are all experiencing now, and Dick did his best but there were rising vacancies in some of the properties, including an office building, and it all started to fall apart. The sad part is that millionaires who experience such downturns just downsize their lifestyles, but the small mom and pop investors who had part everything they had into one of those deals lost everything and blamed Dick. The truth is that since those days, investment laws have tightened up and mom and pop investors are discouraged to put every penny they've earned into a deal. But again, Dick was in the same boat with everyone and he lost a lot too. Just life, and the danger inherent in some investments. Many people today have lost homes and their life saving too because their homes have depreciated and they owe more than what the house is worth.

[R-Smart]

And so you say.

[wills]

anonymous wrote:

It is very disrespectful to talk ill of the dead like many on this post are doing. No one knows who killed Richard Traweek. It could be that he surprised a car thief, and knowing Dick and his pride and honor as a man, he would have confronted the man or even gone after him. We don't know what happened. But I do know that he never ever meant to hurt or "rip off" anyone. I would swear to it in court, and I was there witnessing every transaction first hand during the 70's. To answer one of you above, No, Dick never made a bad deal intentionally. He would never ever do that. He tried his very best. He worked long hours, sometimes well past midnight always talking business and real estate deals. As we are all well aware, the real estate market is volatile and what happened was not Dick's fault - the market fell apart in the 80's and he did his best to hold it together.

he sounds like a self-centered social predator who was only "generous" to feed his own deluded self image. I don't know why you're glazing over and explaining away his lack of ethics unless you actually think that's "business".

[GKoenig]

I knew Dick along with most of you people along with being best of friends with his children. Something like this just makes me wonder why there are such ignorant/cruel people in this world. Dick had to be one of the most kindest, generous, and loving parents I've known throughout my life. He was too nice of a guy to be treated like this. If someone was in need of a helping hand or even just having issues in life, he was there for you. It didn't matter what it was because all he wanted to do was just help. It really takes a tole to my heart to have to know that such a kind, loving family is going to have to deal with this for the rest of their lives. Whoever put a hit out on him is going to get what is coming their way.

[Joe K]

I worked with Dick on a couple of occassions. I found him the be very generous with his time. Every Christmas he was down at the mission flipping pancakes and eggs for people in need.
My sympathy to his family. I found him to be a wonderful person.
Everyone keep in mind, no one is perfect.

[DJM]

I smile when I think of the many great experiences I had with Dick. His generosity to others can not be understated. During the Mandeville Canyon fire of 1978,I had to evacuate my home. I went to Dick's restaurant and watched the uncontrolled spread of the fire on his TV. The announcer stated that looters were ransacking homes on my street. Without hesitation, Dick called one of his associates to go to my house and protect it from looters until the threat was over. I'll never forget that unsolicited gesture of generosity. (Thank you Jerry.)

[anonymous]

wills wrote:

<quoted text>
he sounds like a self-centered social predator who was only "generous" to feed his own deluded self image. I don't know why you're glazing over and explaining away his lack of ethics unless you actually think that's "business".

Did you know him? What lack of ethics are you talking about? There is a degree of danger inherent in all investment vehicles, some more than others. The fact that the real estate market fell apartin the early 80's is not "bad ethics" on the part of Dick Traweek. It was just a sad reality, and turn in the market like we are all experiencing now, and everyone was hurt financially including Mr. Traweek.

[freddy]

Some people lost every cent they put into his "can't fail " scheme. How much did he lose, I don't think he had to cancel his Bel Air membership did he ?

[Fernando Camarillo CA]

My prayers and condolences go out to Dick's wife Vicky, his daughter and two sons. I will miss him. If, you have ever lost a friend, you know that you will spend the rest of your life missing that friend; I will miss Dick Traweek. I know that Dick loved Vicky very much, and you could not share a lunch without him bragging about his beautiful daughter and his two super athlete boys (young men). To a man that freely shared his laughter, time, imagination...thank you my friend...I will miss you.

[Jerry Ferguson]

DJM wrote:

I smile when I think of the many great experiences I had with Dick. His generosity to others can not be understated. During the Mandeville Canyon fire of 1978,I had to evacuate my home. I went to Dick's restaurant and watched the uncontrolled spread of the fire on his TV. The announcer stated that looters were ransacking homes on my street. Without hesitation, Dick called one of his associates to go to my house and protect it from looters until the threat was over. I'll never forget that unsolicited gesture of generosity.(Thank you Jerry.)

Hi DM
Your very welcome. Hope all is well with you and your family. As you know the looters didn't bother me. But when the fire blew up and over to the other side of your house on top of the mountain. That got my attention I jumped into your pool.I will be leaving today for the Czech Republc and Belgium till the 22nd so I won't be able to be out in LA today. But he will be in my heart forever.Contact me through VICKIE or ROXY they have all my infor. and I would love to talk to you. Take care my friend.
Jerry

[Jerry Ferguson]

freddy wrote:

Some people lost every cent they put into his "can't fail " scheme. How much did he lose, I don't think he had to cancel his Bel Air membership did he ?

If this is the Freddie I know he sure took care of your FAT ASS for a long time . And you made money too!!! But you were like an anchor around his neck...

[anonymous]

Jerry Ferguson wrote:

<quoted text>
If this is the Freddie I know he sure took care of your FAT ASS for a long time . And you made money too!!! But you were like an anchor around his neck...

haha haa hahaa Good one Jerry! I didn't even realize who that was until your comment. If it's the same person I'm thinking of, you are so right on - "a big fat anchor" like so many who skulked around in the shadow of his successes. Like I said before, nothing lasts forever and the downturn in the real estate market was in no way Richard Traweek's fault. He spent long hours trying to negotiate the very best for each real estate partnership - for himself as General Partner and for each of the limited partner investors. He lost too. His money was in each of those partnerships too.

[jett]

anonymous wrote:

<quoted text>
Did you know him? What lack of ethics are you talking about? There is a degree of danger inherent in all investment vehicles, some more than others. The fact that the real estate market fell apartin the early 80's is not "bad ethics" on the part of Dick Traweek. It was just a sad reality, and turn in the market like we are all experiencing now, and everyone was hurt financially including Mr. Traweek.

Anyone who gets into real estate has questionable ethics to begin with.

[jett]

jett wrote:

<quoted text>
Anyone who gets into real estate has questionable ethics to begin with.

And no I didn't know him but he ripped people off.

[Jerry Ferguson]

jett wrote:

<quoted text>
And no I didn't know him but he ripped people off.

So you didn't know him that means your just running your mouth. So I guess I will just say Shut the F**K UP dumbass. Since I have just got to Belgium a couple of hours ago i'm going to try and be nice KINDA.