A 21-year-old man pleaded guilty Wednesday to first-degree murder in the death of Camille Love, who was randomly gunned down on a Tacoma street two years ago by suspected gang members allegedly looking to avenge the shooting of a friend.
Jarrod Messer also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and faces 35 years in prison when sentenced Feb. 3.
He was one of four men who went to trial in October in the killing of Love and the wounding of her brother, who were traveling in Love’s car when someone opened fire on them Feb. 7, 2010. Josh Love survived and testified against the defendants late last year.
Another of those defendants, Time Time, also pleaded guilty Wednesday after the prosecution rested its case. Time, 26, pleaded to one count of leading organized crime. He also is to be sentenced Feb. 3 and faces more than 12 years in prison.
Prosecutors contend Messer was driving the stolen van from which the fatal shots were fired. They said Time helped to steal the van and acted as a lookout during the shooting.
The two other men, Saul Mex (the alleged shooter) and Eduardo Sandoval (an alleged lookout), remain on trial. Their attorneys are expected to begin presenting the defense case today.
Two other members of the Tacoma street gang tied to the Love killing and two other homicides were sentenced to prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to organized crime-related charges in a separate case.
Moises Larreinaga, 23, pleaded guilty in Pierce County Superior Court to conspiracy to incite criminal profiteering and was sentenced to five years in prison. Abel Gonzalez, 29, pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting criminal profiteering and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Prosecutors originally charged Larreinaga and Gonzalez with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, alleging they conspired from prison to have an East Side Lokote Sureños leader killed so Larreinaga to could ascend to the top of the organization once released.
Juan Zuniga, 26, was shot to death May 12, 2010, in a house in Tacoma’s West End.
“They pled guilty to crimes we knew we could prove,” deputy prosecutor Phil Sorensen said. “This is a victory for the community.”
So far, six people have been convicted of felonies in Zuniga’s death, including Carlos R. Basilio, Antonio Vasquez and Alfredo Felices, all of whom pleaded guilty last year to first-degree murder and other crimes. They await sentencing.
Ruben Rios pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting criminal profiteering last year and was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison. Another man, Pablo Ortiz, awaits trial on a charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the case, and another, Juan Ortiz, is being sought on a warrant, also charging him with first-degree murder.
Another Sureños member also is charged in the Love killing but won a separate trial from his co-defendants. That trial is to start Jan. 30.
Four other Sureños are charged in the March 2010 slaying of 25-year-old Saul Lucas-Alfonso, who was shot to death during an apparent robbery in Tacoma’s South End. One of those men is expected to go to trial Jan. 30. The other three are being sought on warrants and are believed to be in Mexico.
Adam Lynn: 253-597-8644
adam.lynn@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/crime
Twitter: @TNTadam
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