Murder trial of man accused in Hawaiian Gardens shooting spree goes to jury
Joseph Mercado is brought into a Norwalk courtroom for closing arguments in his murder trial.
Jurors began deliberating Monday afternoon in the trial of Joseph Mercado, who is accused of killing his former girlfriend, her brother and father during a shooting spree at the family’s home in Hawaiian Gardens more than five years ago.
Graphic testimony during the prosecution’s closing arguments earlier in the day prompted some of the victims’ family members to flee the courtroom; some cried and held their ears as their loved ones’ last moments were recounted for the jury.
Mercado faces three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of premeditated attempted murder as well as counts for arson, burglary, child abuse, assault on a peace officer and gun charges.
Mercado’s trial began last week and centered on the shootings that took place during the early morning hours of May 6, 2010, at the family’s home in the 21900 block of South Devline Avenue in Hawaiian Gardens. At least 10 people were inside the home at the time of the shootings.
Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty if Mercado is convicted.
Mercado, 31, wearing a blue shirt and black pants, listened as prosecutors recounted the events of that day. At times he read over documents and never once looked at the pictures of the victims on an overhead projector.
Prosecutors told jurors that Mercado had planned the shootings.
Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Villa alleged that Mercado bought a high-powered rifle and ammunition a month before the killings. On the eve of the shootings, Mercado told his boss what he was going to do, the prosecutor said.
Villa alleged that Mercado drove to the family’s home with a container of gasoline and meat for the dogs outside to keep them from barking. He added that Mercado waited for deputies at the Lakewood Station to change shifts, parked his car and smoked a cigarette before carrying out the crimes.
Villa said Mercado unleashed more than 40 rounds outside and inside the house, killing anyone he saw.
“The defendant did everything he is being accused of doing,” Villa told jurors.
Looking down, Mercado shook his head as his family members sat and listened. His mother at times wiped tears from her eyes.
Villa focused on the deaths of Serena Tarin, 23; her brother Alfred Tarin Jr., 19; and her father, Alfredo Tarin Sr., 54.
The victims’ family members, seated at the center of the courtroom, broke into tears and plugged their ears as Villa recounted the final moments of Serena Tarin, which also were captured on a 9-1-1 recording.
Villa said the recording reveals Serena Tarin telling Mercado she has their baby with her. The two were involved in a child custody dispute, authorities said.
“She told him: ‘Don’t do this, Joseph, the baby is in here, the baby, the baby,” Villa said, holding a doll wearing pink pajamas.
At least three family members stormed out of the courtroom, unable to handle the details that Villa continued providing to jurors.
Villa said Mercado shot at least 14 rounds at the wall above the baby’s crib and into the bathroom door before kicking it open and fatally shooting Tarin. The baby, 8 months old, was not harmed. Moments later, the prosecutor alleged, Mercado made his way out of the house, fatally shooting Alfred Tarin Jr., whose body was found with a bat and cellphone nearby.
Mercado’s attorney, Daniel A. Nardoni, acknowledged to jurors the case was difficult for the victims’ family.
“It was wrong,” Nardoni said as he turned away from the jurors and looked at the Tarin family.
He asked jurors not to find his client guilty of first-degree murder regarding the two male victims. Nardoni said Mercado did not set out to kill them. He told jurors that family members had testified to seeing Mercado outside the house and that they had called police, a sign they knew of his presence.
Deliberations are to resume Tuesday morning. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Raul Sahagun is presiding over the trial at the Norwalk courthouse.
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