A famed war photographer was found stabbed to death on a popular hiking trail in California – and his 19-year-old son has been named as a suspect.
Paul Lowe was a beloved professor and award-winning British photojournalist who covered some of the most important events in modern history, from the terrors of the Bosnian war, the siege of Sarajevo to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The 61-year-old, who taught at the University of the Arts in London, had a career which spanned across decades, famously capturing images of Nelson Mandela’s release, and the Romanian revolution – to name a few.
However the well-renowned photographer was tragically found with fatal stab wounds in the San Gabriel Mountains on Saturday and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Now, his 19-year-old son, Emir Abadzic Lowe, is being held in Los Angeles County Jail on a $2 million bond over suspicion of his murder.
A famed war photographer, Paul Lowe, 61, was found stabbed to death on a popular hiking trail in California on Saturday – with the suspect being his own son.
Lowe was a professor and award-winning British photojournalist who covered major world events, including the terrors of the Bosnian war, the fall of the Berlin Wall and most notably, the siege of Sarajevo in 1992
During his life, Lowe had documented several global events including the end of the Cold War.
However his his most powerful image is said to have been taken during the siege of Sarajevo in 1992.
The photo – which was his most famous – was a black and white picture of a child with a ball while in Sarajevo, and was taken during a late afternoon winter stroll.
‘I just happened upon the scene, capturing the ball being thrown up in the air as if this was any street in the world,’ he told The Guardian in a 2022 interview.
‘It’s such an ordinary thing for a kid to do, but it’s happening against the backdrop of the tank trap, a hint of the ever-present danger.’
‘The siege of Sarajevo was very hard on children, who obviously didn’t want to be stuck indoors. They would risk their lives for a little pleasure,’ he added.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office were called to Mount Baldy Road near Stoddard Canyon Falls last Saturday following reports of an assault with a deadly weapon.
Lowe’s body was discovered with ‘trauma to his upper’ body and a stab wound to his neck, which the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner concluded was his cause of death, The Independent reported.
Another man was seen fleeing the scene but crashed his car just a few miles down the road where he was then taken into police custody.
He split his time between London and the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo, but was visiting Southern California to deal with ‘family matters’ when he was found dead in the San Gabriel Mountains
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call regarding an assault with a deadly weapon on Mount Baldy Road, near Stoddard Canyon Falls – an iconic hike that offers magnificent waterfalls and a swimming hole
The suspect was identified as Lowe’s 19-year-old son and was arrested shortly after on suspicion of murdering his own father.
Lowe split his time between London and the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo, but was in Southern California to handle some ‘family matters’, according to KTLA.
He had planned to meet up with Lara Jo Regan, a colleague and a fellow photojournalist, for a drink and catch up while he was in the area, but after several days passed without a word from Lowe, Regan became nervous.
‘I went on Facebook, and I was going to DM him to see what was up,’ she told KTLA.
‘Then, the first thing that came up was news of his passing posted on his agency’s website in New York. I was beyond shocked. I’m still kind of shocked.’
His son’s motive for the alleged deadly stabbing still remains unknown.
In the wake of the photographer’s death Ika Ferrer Gotić, a senior international news producer and anchor at CNN and the editor-in-chief at Forbes, took to X to share meeting Lowe in 2019, where they spent time ‘unpacking forgotten war crime in Sarajevo and Bijeljina.
‘We lost more than a photographer when #PaulLowe passed away,’ she wrote in the post.
‘We lost a witness to our history, a storyteller who showed the world the truths that many wished to ignore.’
‘His lens captured more than the horrors of war; it captured the resilience, the survival, the humanity of #Sarajevo at its darkest moment.’
His 19-year-old son, Emir Abadzic Lowe, was arrested on suspicion of murdering his own father
Lowe was a beloved professor at the University of the Arts in London, and a photojournalist with work spanning for decades – including the terrors of the Bosnian war and the siege of Sarajevo
His 19-year-old son was seen by police speeding away from the scene but ultimately crashed his car just a few miles away
The VII Foundation, which was founded in 2001 by independent photojournalists, shared a photo to Instagram taken by Lowe’s wife, Amra, remembering the legendary artist as a ‘courageous and beloved comrade’
‘His work during the siege was not just about documenting violence. It was about remembering – reminding us that the shattered buildings and the jagged remains of barricades held stories, stories we should never forget,’ she added.
‘He spent six months after the war capturing the ruins, not as mere structures, but as symbols of what had been lost and what we must fight to preserve – our history, our humanity.’
After the news of his untimely death, tributes from friends, colleagues and strangers around the world began pouring in.
The embassy for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the UK described Lowe as a ‘great artist’.
Their tribute to the photgrapher on Facebook read: ‘Paul was a true friend of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a wonderful human being, a great artist and professional, loved and respected by all who knew him.’
‘The memory and the important work and legacy of Paul Lowe will continue for further generations.’
The VII Foundation, which was founded in 2001 by independent photojournalists, shared a photo to Instagram taken by Lowe’s wife, Amra.
Police found Lowe in the mountains with trauma to his upper torso and a stab wound to the neck – which was determined to be his ultimate cause of death
His son’s motive for killing his father is still unknown, but he is expected to appear in court on Tuesday for a hearing
‘It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of the passing of our dear friend and colleague Paul Lowe, whose brilliant life was cut short in Los Angeles, California on Saturday,’ the caption read.
‘Paul was a courageous and beloved comrade, and a deeply devoted father and husband.’
Regan, who first met Lowe at the World Press Photo of the Year exhibition 24 years ago, spoke of his real generosity of spirit, adding that his legacy will live on through the photographs he’s taken.
‘For those of us who knew him, Paul wasn’t just a great artist. He was a kind soul, a man who cared deeply for the people and the stories he photographed. He was someone who became one with his subject, whose empathy was as powerful as his talent,’ Gotić added in her tribute on X.
‘In a way, his life mirrored his photography; an intimate connection to our brokenness, but yet utter f***ing resilience.’
Emir Abadzic Lowe is now scheduled to appear in court for a hearing on Tuesday for his father’s murder.