Two men have have been charged in the drive-by shooting that killed a Bellflower teenager on Halloween.
Sialeuvea Sitani was shot as he was standing in the 16100 block of Bellflower Boulevard about 10:45 p.m. on Oct. 31. The shooter used a shotgun, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Det. Francis Hardiman. Sitani died early Nov. 1 of multiple gunshot wounds.
Jesus Chavez, a 34-year-old Latino from Los Angeles, was arrested Nov. 1 and arraigned Nov. 18 on a murder charge, with the special circumstance allegations that he deliberately discharged a shotgun from a motor vehicle with the intention to inflict death, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. The special circumstance allegations make Chavez eligible for the death penalty. Chavez is scheduled to return to court Dec. 14 for a preliminary hearing at Los Angeles County Superior Court in Norwalk.
Brian Jesse Altamirez, a 20-year-old Latino from Bellflower, was charged Nov. 19 with murder and solicitation to intimidate a witness, according to Ricardo Santiago, a spokesman with the district attorney's office. Altamirez is scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 2 at the Norwalk courthouse.
Hardiman said investigators are seeking other suspects in the shooting and looking for the shotgun. Sitani knew the suspects, Hardiman said, but the detective said he couldn't discuss a motive for the slaying or provide any details about the allegations.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Hardiman at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.