Two more suspects have been charged in a deadly crime spree sweeping through Southeast LA, District Attorney George Gascón announced yesterday. The series of shootings left six dead, including a teenager, and terrorized local communities. The latest to face charges are 18-year-old Joseivan Mendoza and 17-year-old Deair Fleming Delerence, implicated in separate incidents within the violent outbreak.
Gascón, in a thrust to bring those accountable to justice, stated, "My heart remains with all the victims, their loved ones, and the communities who have been affected by this senseless violence." Last week, Gary Garcia Jr. and Timberland McKneely were charged with the murders of four individuals, among them a 14-year-old boy, in a string of shootings that occurred on February 11 and 12, according to the Los Angeles County, District Attorney's Office.
The crimes pin McKneely and Mendoza as responsible for the fatal shooting of two men on November 24, 2023, while Delerence, along with Garcia and McKneely, allegedly took part in the more recent February shootings.
The arraignment for Garcia, Mendoza, and McKneely is set for February 29 at the Norwalk Courthouse. Meanwhile, Delerence, who denied the petition at his February 21 juvenile court hearing, has a follow-up court date on March 22 at the Compton Courthouse. The prosecution is pushing for no bail for Garcia, Mendoza, and McKneely, while Delerence will stay detained until further notice, as reported by the Los Angeles County, District Attorney's Office.
If the courts find them guilty as charged, the consequences are dire — Garcia, Mendoza, and McKneely could be staring down life in prison without the possibility of parole.
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