Elias Carmona Lopez
Gang member accused in 2004 killings get trial date
A trial date is expected to be set today for a 25-year-old gang member accused of gunning down two men within a month nearly seven years ago.
Elias Carmona Lopez faces first-degree murder charges in the shooting deaths of Erineo Perez and Martin Garcia on Oct. 10 and Oct. 26, 2004, respectively. He could face the death penalty if convicted.
He also faces a felony count of participating in a criminal street gang and a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait.
Then-District Attorney Rod Pacheco decided to pursue the death penalty against Lopez in August 2010 following a review of the defendant's criminal and personal history, the facts of the case and a meeting with the victims' family members.
Lopez's attorney, Arnold Lieman, who was invited to attend the family meeting, said he had expected the D.A.'s office to come down hard on his client because of Lopez's gang membership and criminal history.
"I'm a little disappointed, but I'm not surprised," Lieman said at the time.
Both victims were shot several times in the face. Perez was found in the front seat of his vehicle near Indio City Hall and Garcia was found in an Indio alley, according to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
Lopez was a suspect in both murders early on, but there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the case until July 2008, according to the DA's office.
Lopez was brought in 2008 to Riverside County from Arizona, where he was serving an eight-year prison term for armed robbery.
http://www.mydesert.com/article/2011...text|Frontpage
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