Son charged after woman found stabbed inside her Glendale home
Sebastian Landau pleaded not guilty to murdering his mother, Yana Landau, after police found her with multiple stab wounds inside a Glendale residence.
- Development
- 12 November 2026
- Coverage
- Charges filed
- Current status
- Charges pending
- Source record
- 3 verified sources
Murder charge filed in Pasadena
Los Angeles County prosecutors charged 21-year-old Sebastian Landau on November 12 with one count of murder in the death of his mother, Yana Landau. The charge includes an allegation that he personally used a deadly weapon. Court records cited by MyNewsLA state that Landau entered a not-guilty plea and remained jailed in lieu of $2 million bail. His next scheduled appearance is December 2 in a Pasadena courtroom. The filing converts the initial arrest into a formal accusation; prosecutors must still prove every element beyond a reasonable doubt. [1] [2]
Blood reported inside a Justin Avenue home
Glendale police said officers were sent to a residence in the 500 block of Justin Avenue at about 6 p.m. on November 9 after a caller reported finding blood inside the home. Officers entered to conduct a welfare check and found a woman in her fifties who was already dead. Investigators said she had suffered multiple stab wounds. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later identified her as Yana Landau, 55. Authorities have not publicly described who made the original call or released a detailed autopsy finding. [1] [2]
Suspect found in a parked vehicle
Officers checking the immediate area found a man sitting inside a parked vehicle and detained him. Police identified him as the victim’s son and described him as the sole suspect in the active investigation. Detectives also recovered a weapon they believe was used in the killing, although the department has not publicly identified the object or disclosed any laboratory testing. Sebastian Landau was booked at the Glendale Police Jail on suspicion of murder. Police have not announced a motive, and the charging allegation remains unproven. [1] [2]
Identification and initial court status
Independent reports from CBS Los Angeles and MyNewsLA corroborated the sequence supplied by the Glendale Police Department. The later court report added the victim’s identification, the formal weapon allegation, the plea and the scheduled return date. Those procedural details matter because an arrest report and a criminal complaint serve different functions: police describe the basis for an arrest, while prosecutors decide which charges to present in court. No defense account of the evidence has yet been reported beyond Landau’s not-guilty plea. [1] [2]
Investigation remains open
Glendale detectives continue to seek information about the killing and have asked potential witnesses to contact the department. Authorities have not released evidence describing what happened before officers arrived, whether anyone else was present, or how long Yana Landau had been dead. Landau is presumed innocent unless convicted. The December hearing is expected to address the progress of the case rather than determine guilt, and the prosecution will have to establish both the identity of the attacker and the required mental state for murder. The complaint’s deadly-weapon allegation is an enhancement allegation, not a separate conviction. Its truth must be admitted or found in court. Police have also not released evidence establishing whether the recovered object carries fingerprints, blood or DNA, so those possible forensic links should not be assumed before discovery and testimony. [1] [2]
Sources & further reading
- Stabbing Murder Suspect Arrested by Glendale Police ↗City of Glendale Police Department · 2026-11-10 · Primary source
- Man Charged in Mother’s Glendale Stabbing Death ↗MyNewsLA · 2026-11-12
- 21-year-old Glendale man arrested for fatally stabbing his mother, police say ↗CBS Los Angeles · 2026-11-10
Reader comments.
Keep it respectful and relevant to the report. No personal information, harassment or unsupported accusations. Comments are readers’ views.
Loading your sign-in status…