For the second time in four days, Santa Monica Police Officers responding to a call from a worried mother, found an apparent homicide victim in a Santa Monica apartment.

On Wednesday, March 19, at 8 p.m. the police went to a condominium complex in the 500 block of Montana Avenue and found Alexander Merman, 35, dead inside his apartment.

According to an SMPD press release, “It appears the victim died as a result of blunt force trauma. It is unknown how long the victim had been dead prior to being discovered. The Los Angeles County Coroners Office will determine the cause of death.”

The building manager had been asked by Merman’s mother to check on her son, found him dead in his comdominium, and called the police.

Merman’s mother told the building manager that she had not been able to reach her son for several days.

Merman lived alone in the condominium, which he owned.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Berman was a native of Russia who came to Los Angeles as a boy, went to local schools, graduated from Otis Art Institute and was an artist and illustrator. His nickname was “Sasha.” Samples of his work were displayed on his website (www.sashas-illusions.com).

The SMPD press release went on to say, “ Based on the initial investigation, there is nothing that leads the investigators to believe that this case is related to the homicide investigation of Juliana Redding.”

Redding’s body was found in her apartment on Centinela Avenue on Sunday. The results of her autopsy have been withheld by the Coroner’s office at the request of the SMPD.

This, like the Redding case, is an ongoing investigation and anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the Santa Monica Police Department Detectives at (310) 458-8451 (M – F, 8 AM – 5 PM) or the Watch Commander at (310) 458-8427 (24 hours). People wishing to remain anonymous may call the WeTip hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463).