Los Angeles: Today the District Attorney announced the filing of murder charges in the death of a 23-day-old infant.
On September 15, 2007, shortly before 9:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to a shooting call in the 1800 block of West 6th Street. When the officers arrived, they found the lifeless body of a 23-day-old infant identified as Luis Garcia with a fatal gunshot to his chest. A second victim by the name of Francisco Clemente was also shot in the chest.
At the time of the shooting, Clemente was standing with his girlfriend selling items from his vendor business when a gunman walked up to him and shot him and the infant.
Several investigative teams from Robbery-Homicide Division and Rampart gang officers conducted numerous canvassing of the area, clue analysis, and countless follow-ups.
The investigation revealed that gang members had been targeting and extorting street vendors in the MacArthur Park area.
Detectives identified five suspects that were involved in this incident. One of the suspects, Luis Silva, was arrested and charged with multiple felony counts, including murder and attempted extortion. He remains in custody.
On October 24, 2007, Robbery-Homicide Detectives assisted by Metropolitan Division, 77th Street Gang Enforcement Detail and Operation-South Bureau Gang Enforcement Detail served several search warrants in the City and one in the Palmdale area.
Four individuals were taken into custody and arrested on charges ranging from Murder, Attempted Murder, Extortion, Narcotics and Dissuading a Witness.
Luis Silva, aka "Clever" and Juan Pablo Murillo, aka "Face" were both charged by the Los Angeles District Attorneys Office with seven counts; one count of Murder, four counts of Attempted Murder, and two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Extortion. All are being held without bail.
Murrillo was also charged with five additional counts. One count of Dissuading a Witness, one count of Sales of Cocaine Base, one count of Sales of Methamphetamine and one count of Possession of Cocaine for Sales.
Also charged were Cipriano Estrada, aka "Grumpy", and Stefani Brizuela, aka "Raven" with Dissuading a Witness with a gang enhancement. Bail was set at $1,000,000.
Arrest warrants were issued for Giovanni Macedo, aka "Rusty", Juvenal Cardenas Mejia, aka "Atlas", and Guadalupe Torres Rangel, aka "Barrios", for the Murder, Attempted Murder, and Conspiracy to Commit Extortion.
Anyone with information is asked to call Robbery-Homicide Division Detective Dan Jenks at 213-485-2531. After hours and on weekends, please call the 24-hour Detective Information Desk at 1-877-LAW-FULL (529-3855).
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