3 Suspects In Custody For Christmas Murder Of Mother Of 3-Year-Old
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Officials announced Wednesday that they had three suspects in custody for the Christmas night murder of an innocent woman gunned down in front of her 3-year-old daughter.
Police said at a news conference that a large number of tips led to their suspects, gang members who believed the woman and friend they were shooting at belonged to a rival gang.
They did not.
Darnell Deshon Houston, 34, Lamar McKnight, 24, and Ezekiel Simon, 16, were all charged Tuesday with murder and attempted murder in connection with the Dec. 25 shooting that killed 25-year-old Kashmier Shari James, according to the District Attorney's Office.
All three are being held without bail.
Authorities are not releasing mug shots because officials say they will possibly face more line-ups.
Edward Lawrence, reporting for KCAL9, said Houston is believed to have fired the fatal shots, McKnight drove the car and Simon was in the car, and while he is a juvenile, he will be charged as an adult.
McKnight and Houston have pleaded not guilty. Simon is expected to face arraignment at a later date.
Prosecutors have not decided yet whether to seek the death penalty against Houston and McKnight. Simon would be spared because he is a juvenile.
James' mother, Kimnolita Evans, told Lawrence the men may have killed her daughter "but they will never be able to take her memory."
