Two Charged in Brothers’ 1998 Murder

By Jorge Casuso

April 17 – After a nearly eight-year investigation, murder charges were filed last week against two convicted felons in the gang-style slayings of two brothers at a clothing store on Lincoln Boulevard.

Two 29-year-old cousins -- David Robles from Lennox, California and Jessie Garcia from Los Angeles -- were charged Friday in the October 27, 1998 shooting spree that left Anthony Robert Juarez, 18, and Michael Anthony Juarez, 27, dead and two others injured, police said.

The shootings came during an outbreak of gang violence that plagued Santa Monica and spurred a $25,000 reward from the City and another $20,000 from the State for information leading to the arrests and convictions of those involved in the killings of the brothers from Central California.

Although the shootings took place in broad daylight on a busy street with officers on high alert, the suspects -- who were masked during the attack -- were only identified after evidence recovered at the crime scene was processed with current DNA technology.

Sent to the California Department of Justice DNA Laboratory, the DNA sample that had failed to turn up a match under the old technology this time matched the two convicted felons currently serving prison sentences in the California penitentiary system, police said.

“We have fulfilled our promise to the parents and family of Anthony and Michael Juarez to be relentless in bringing the murderers of these innocent young men to justice,” said Police Chief James T. Butts, Jr. “It is our hope that the solution of this crime brings some measure of peace to the family.”

Robles, known by the street name “Puppet,” has a criminal past that includes attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and weapons violations, police said. He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in February 2001.

Robles -- who has admitted and been documented participating in a Los Angeles County criminal street gang -- is currently serving an eight-year sentence in state prison, police said.

Known by the moniker of “Psycho,” Garcia has a criminal past that includes burglary, auto theft and narcotics violations, police said. Garcia was convicted of carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon with a firearm causing great bodily injury in May 1999.

An admitted gang member who also has been documented participating in a criminal street gang, Garcia is currently in state prison, police said.

After reviewing the case, the District Attorney’s office decided to charge the two suspects with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances (multiple murders) and two counts of attempted murder, police said.

Garcia and Robles were also charged with four counts of personal use of a firearm and four counts of participating in a street gang and committing the crime in furtherance of the gang, police said.

Because both suspects are in-custody on unrelated charges, the DA’s Office must file the case and seek the issuance from a magistrate of no-bail arrest warrants for both of the men, said Lt. Frank Fabrega, the police department’s spokesman.

In the 1998 slaying, Robles and Garcia emerged from a stolen car with a third masked gunmen and entered Westside Clothing, a Hip-Hop clothing store at 2204 Lincoln Boulevard, shortly after noon.

Armed with an assault rifle and two handguns, the three shooters opened fire in the newly opened shop, fatally wounding the two brothers.

The gunman also wounded shop proprietor who police reported was a former gang member and part owner of the store. A customer was also wounded in the shooting.

The slayings capped a bloody 15 days of gang violence that included the October 12 slaying of Omar Sevilla in a drive-by assault on Sixth Street at Pico Boulevard.

The next man to die in what authorities suspected was a retaliation hit, was Juan Campos, who was cornered in the rear of Eddie's Market at Pico Boulevard and 20th Street and shot multiple times.

Mayor Bob Holbrook, who was also the mayor during the 1998 gang-related shooting spree, said he stayed on top of the unsolved Juarez case, calling police “at least once or twice a year.”

“I wanted to satisfy myself that they were on top of this case,” Holbrook said. “They assured me that it was on the front burner and that the detectives were working as hard as they could.”

At the mayor’s request, Chief Butts put him on the line when he called the Juarez family to break the news of the arrests.

“They thanked me and said it was really great,” Holbrook said shortly after the call Friday. “I gotta tell you, this to me is a good day.”