Flint
Posted on 09/28/2006 2:27:35 PM PDT by La Enchiladita
(CBS) LONG BEACH Two men were charged with murder Wednesday in the March 28 shooting death of a female Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy, who was killed in the driveway of a Long Beach home as she prepared to leave for work.
Frank Christopher Gonzalez, 26, and Justin Ashley Flint, 20, were scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Long Beach Superior Court in connection with the slaying of Maria Rosa, 30.
Rosa was shot and killed around 6 a.m. March 28 in the driveway of the home of a female sheriff's detective she had been visiting in the 2900 block of Eucalyptus Avenue.
The two men are charged with one count each of murder and attempted robbery, along with the allegation that they each personally used a handgun.
The murder charge includes the special circumstance allegation of murder during the course of a robbery. Prosecutors have not yet decided whether they will seek the death penalty against the two men, who are jailed without bail.
"This case actually touches me deeply, and it is a moment that we come to celebrate the arrest of two very heinous criminals that have done something very serious in our city," Long Beach police Chief Anthony Batts said at an afternoon news conference. "It touches me because the victim of this crime could have been any woman going to work in the early morning hours."
"I made a promise to the family and friends of Deputy Maria Rosa, as well as the murderers -- we would never stop pursuing the killers of her on that fateful day," he said. "Today, we are delivering on that promise."
According to the criminal complaint, Gonzalez was convicted in May in a weapons case and Flint was convicted in July of robbery.
Batts said tips from the community led detectives to focus on the pair, who were in custody during the investigation. Evidence collected at the crime scene and during the ensuing investigation also pointed to Gonzalez and Flint, he said, declining to elaborate.
During the investigation, a total of $160,000 in rewards were offered for information leading to the killers, including funds from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association and the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs.
"Let this be a strong lesson to some that when you do a murder like this in this city, we will hunt you down," Batts said. "Justice will be served."
Batts said conspiracy charges were also filed against Gonzalez's sister -- Celina Rachel Gonzalez, 21, of Long Beach -- and his girlfriend, identified as Jessica Isabel Rowan, 25, of Los Angeles. Batts said the women "provided what we believe to be false alibis" for the suspects.
Original thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1605961/posts
Ping to those who discussed the crime back in March ...
I think this was on America's Most Wanted?
Glad they got the creeps
Hmm, I must have missed that episode; don't catch it every week.
We don't always get follow-through stories on crimes, so glad I caught this one.
here ya go-
http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=40858
Flint
Gonzalez
Thank you! I'm not able to post photos from here, and theirs need to be up in plain view. They don't look like newcomers to gang life and crime, do they?
They fit the original crime area descriptions alright!
Both were arrested and jailed on other charges a month or two after killing the deputy.
Good to know that solid info came in from the locals. Idiots that do this crap are just that; Idiots and can't keep their mouths shut....fortunately. Not too uncommon to have your suspects right where you want them already locked up on other investigations
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