Man Charged with Murder in Death of Maintenance Worker VAN NUYS (CNS) — Prosecutors have filed murder and other charges against a 24-year-old felon who allegedly shot and stabbed a maintenance worker near a Target store parking lot in Van Nuys. Erick Renteria pleaded not guilty on July 24 to one count each of murder and possession of a firearm by a felon with one prior conviction and two counts of resisting an executive officer. Renteria is due back in a Van Nuys courtroom Aug. 4, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial. The murder charge includes the allegations that Renteria personally used a handgun and a knife in the killing of Francisco Miguel, 48, who was attacked in the early morning of July 22. The victim — part of a three-person crew working to pressure-wash the parking lot of a Target store at Sepulveda Boulevard and Hatteras Street — was attacked when he went to check on a truck near the lot, authorities said. Detective Robert Bub of the Los Angeles Police Departments Van Nuys Division said the victim was shot while sitting in the truck, then stabbed. “He was just a hard-working guy who appeared to be at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Bub said. “For some reason, this man went down to check on the truck and that’s when he was attacked by our suspect.” There were no known witnesses or video to the initial assault, but Bub said it appears the victim was shot first while he was sitting in the truck. “One of the other crew members heard the commotion and called 911,” Bub said. “When our officers arrived, the suspect was standing outside the truck and stabbing at the victim. He tried to run away, but he was taken into custody by the officers.” If convicted as charged, Renteria faces up to 53 years to life in state prison, according to the District Attorneys Office. sanfernandosun/sanfernsun/news/10927-man-charged-with-murder-in-death-of-maintenance-worker
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 15:00:02 +0000