Alleged L.A. rampage suspect smiles in court as victim’s kin watches

The arraignment for Alex Hernandez, a 34-year-old man suspected of carrying out a series of fatal shootings in the San Fernando Valley area last month, was postponed for the second time on Wednesday.

Wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, Hernandez smiled as he looked over the downtown Los Angeles courtroom while Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo spoke to attorneys.

Hernandez is charged with murder in the Aug. 21 shooting death of Gildardo Morales, 48, who was shot in Pacoima while sitting in his pickup truck. Hernandez is also charged with attempted murder in connection with the Aug. 22 shooting of a married couple in West Hollywood.

In both cases, he is charged with one count of special circumstances of shooting at an occupied vehicle.

Hernandez has also been charged with animal cruelty, two counts of discharging a firearm with gross negligence, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of possession of ammunition.

Attending the hearing were family members of Gloria Tovar, who was shot and killed Aug. 24 in the 12900 block of Filmore Street in Pacoima.

Tovar was one of three people killed during a one-hour shooting spree that police say has been connected to Hernandez. He has not been charged in the three killings.

Family members told the L.A. Times that Tovar was sitting in her late-model Toyota Camry to pick up a friend to attend church services when the shooting occurred.

A woman who would identify herself only as a niece of Tovar said she wasn’t bothered by Hernandez’s grin.

“I expected that from him,” the woman said. “He doesn’t have God in his heart.”

Also inside the courtroom was Tulio Zepeda, 32, a friend of Alex Hernandez who came to the hearing because he wanted to speak to Hernandez’s mother.

“I’ve been wanting to go visit his mom, but I’m pretty sure she’s been going through a lot right now,” Zepeda said. “So I wanted to see her here, but she wasn’t in court.”

Zepeda said he’s still in disbelief over the allegations Hernandez is facing.

“I didn’t want to believe it,” he said. “He’s not the kind of person who will do that kind of stuff.”

Zepeda said he only knew Hernandez as a good person with a big heart and a family man.

“He has a daughter,” Zepeda said. “He’s friendly and very caring.”

Hernandez had attended trade school to become an air conditioner technician and planned to return, Zepeda added.

He said that Hernandez is not a gang member and that he had never witnessed him abusing alcohol or using drugs.

Zepeda said he was at the doctor’s office when he learned about the shootings and that his friend was the alleged shooter.

“It kind of hit me -- the name, the age, Sylmar -- I was like, ‘No, it can’t be,’” Zepeda recalled. “I tried calling his cellphone but it was disconnected, then I tried calling his house number and that was also disconnected,” he said.

After Hernandez was arrested in connection with the shootings, Zepeda said he had a hard time accepting that his friend had committed the alleged crimes.

“He’s gotten himself into trouble here and there, but aside from the trouble he’s been in, he’s a good person, to me he is,” Zepeda said. “All of this just came out of nowhere.”

Hernandez’s next court hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 20.

For more Southern California news follow @LATVives