Community Corner

Man Pleads Not Guilty in Drug Deal 'Rip-Off' Murder

The victim was found with multiple gun shot wounds in a parking lot at Valley College.

A San Diego man pleaded not guilty today to murdering a Tujunga resident during a robbery in a parking lot at Los Angeles Valley College.

Derrick Phillip Wilson, 25, is charged along with Raheen Ahab Taylor, 31, of San Jacinto, with one count of murder in Saturday's shooting death of Ricardo Zetino, along with the special circumstance allegation that the victim was murdered during the commission of a robbery.

Taylor pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Van Nuys Superior Court.

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Along with murder, Taylor and Wilson are charged with three counts of second-degree robbery involving Zetino and two other people.   

The criminal complaint alleges that both defendants personally and intentionally discharged a handgun during the crime.

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Zetino, 31, was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds outside his truck in a college parking lot in the 5800 block of Fulton Avenue in the Valley Glen area.

“Investigators developed information that the shooting incident was the result of a drug deal `rip-off.' The choice of the college parking lot was random,” said Lt. David Coleman of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau.

Taylor and Wilson have been jailed without bail since being taken into custody Sunday without incident at an apartment in the Riverside County city of San Jacinto.

The District Attorney's office will decide later whether to seek the death penalty against Taylor and Wilson.

--City News Service


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