A 25-year-old man pleaded not guilty Thursday to killing a man trying to sell a gold necklace for $2,000 in Montebello.
Sean Matthew Garcia is charged with the murder of Brian Lee Gomez, who was shot to death at about 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28 in the 1600 block of Neil Armstrong Street.
Gomez was gunned down in front of his wife, who had gone with him to sell the gold chain, police said.
The murder charge includes a special circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of an armed robbery.
Prosecutors will decide later whether to seek the death penalty.
Garcia is also charged with one count of robbery for allegedly stealing an assault rifle from its owner in August.
According to Montebello police, Gomez posted an ad on OfferUpNow.com for the gold chain and arranged to meet Garcia to sell the necklace. Police said Garcia ambushed Gomez, showing up at the pre-arranged meeting location with an assault rifle, then chasing him down.
Prosecutors said Garcia chased Gomez and fired twice at Garcia’s feet. Gomez stopped and reached into his pocket to retrieve the chain, and Garcia shot him, according to prosecutors.
Police released video of the suspect brandishing an assault rifle and said a warrant search of Garcia’s home turned up assault rifle parts believed to be from the weapon used to kill Gomez. They also credited the OfferUp website with helping to lead investigators to the victim in the previously unreported assault weapon theft.
Garcia was arrested by Montebello police a day after the shooting and has remained behind bars since then.
He is due back in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Dec. 7, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial.
— Wire reports