On February 8, 2008, 14-year-old Robert E.[1] was at his house on Katrina Place. He was with his mother, Luz E., his sisters, Mayra E. and Christina E., and his brothers, including 12-year-old Francisco E. They were throwing a party at the house.
Later in the evening, Robert E. heard gunshots while he was in the garage with Ricardo R., his sister’s friend. Robert E. heard something hit an area immediately next to him. Upon hearing the gunshots, he ducked and crawled into the house. He heard about 10 shots rapidly fire. Ricardo R. heard about 15 shots. The garage door was closed at the time.
Francisco E. was sitting at a dining room table with other family members and friends, including Gerardo Salazar, Mayra E., Stephanie R., Adriana R., Denise F., and Liz S. Windows to the dining room were located between the front door of the house and the garage. The dining room was on the first floor. Francisco E. heard more than 10 gunshots fired.
Adriana R. was in the dining room, sitting next to Salazar. She heard about 18 shots ricocheting off the walls. When she heard the shots, she threw Stephanie R., who was 13- or 14-years-old, to the ground. A foreign object hit Adriana R.’s eye, causing her to bleed. Glass hit the back of Mayra E.’s neck. She was sitting to the left of Salazar.
After shots ceased, Francisco E. could see holes in the dining room wall and curtain. Salazar was on the floor, bleeding, and he died from a gunshot to the head.
Luz E. and her husband, Sergio H., were in a bedroom when she heard about 20 gunshots. Christina E. was in another bedroom with her boyfriend, Daniel D. Four-year-old Aliza V. and nine-month-old Denise R. were in the master bedroom. Each of these bedrooms was on the second floor.
When the shots were fired, Daniel D. looked out a window and saw muzzle flashes from a large pickup truck. The truck remained stationary when the shots were fired. Daniel D. saw the shooter in the back of the truck, leaning out and firing the gun.
After the shooting, Luz E. saw bullet holes in the front of the house. Ricardo R. saw a hole in the garage door. Robert E. saw a hole in a television, located in the back of the garage, and one in a refrigerator.
B. The Morning Circle shooting (counts 15–24)
About 30 minutes after the Katrina Place shooting, gunshots woke Vicente V., who was at his house on Morning Circle. Twelve persons lived there, including members of his immediate family and his brother’s family.
Vicente V.’s house had two floors. On the night of the shooting, he and his wife, Maria, were in their bedroom located immediately on top of the garage conversion. Their 13- and 7-year-old sons, Gerardo and Esteban, slept in a bedroom above their parents’ bedroom. Their older son, Vince V., Jr., was sleeping downstairs. Their 15-year-old daughter, Cassandra, was sleeping in the family room. Their 16-year-old daughter, Patricia, was sleeping in another bedroom. Vicente
[1] To protect the victims’ personal privacy interests, other than Gerardo Salazar who was killed, we refer to each by first name and last initial. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.90(b)(4).)
