Deputy Juan Escalante
EOW: August 2, 2008

An arrest warrant was issued for a fourth suspect in the slaying of Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Juan Escalante, who was killed in front of his parents' home last summer, authorities said today. The 27-year-old deputy was gunned down in front of the Cypress Park home on Aug. 2 as he was preparing to go to work in the Men's Central Jail.

Two people - including the alleged shooter - were arrested in connection with the case in December and charged with capital murder. In the past week, two other people were charged. Jose Renteria, who was 17 at the time and is now 18, was charged last Wednesday with murder and pleaded not guilty on Monday. The fourth person, who is still being sought, is listed in the criminal complaint as Armando Albarran, 26, alias "Chivo." He is also charged with murder.

Police Chief Bill Bratton and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca spoke together at a press conference downtown, asking for the public's help in finding Albarran. "We do believe in putting our lives on the line. At the same time ... the time at home is supposed to be a time of rest and peace and recovery, but unfortunately, that doesn't always happen," Baca said. Capt. Denis Cremins, commanding officer of LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division, declined to provide many details about the investigation, but said that standard police work had uncovered the suspects.

"We put a lot of feelers out in the community, talked to a lot of people, knocked on a lot of doors ... and gained that intelligence," Cremins said. Carlos Javier Velasquez, now 25, and Guillermo Hernandez, now 21, were arrested Dec. 12, and pleaded not guilty Jan. 2. The criminal complaint alleges that Velasquez "personally and intentionally discharged a firearm, a handgun, which caused great bodily injury and death" to Escalante.

The murder charge includes the allegation that the murder was carried out to further the activities of a criminal street gang. Prosecutors have not yet decided if they will seek the death penalty against Velasquez, Hernandez and Albarran. Renteria cannot face a death sentence because he was a minor at the time, and he faces a maximum life prison term without the possibility of parole if convicted.