Boy, 12, Admits Killing Friend Over a Baseball

A 12-year-old Quartz Hill boy who shot a friend with a .22-caliber rifle during an argument over a baseball pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder.

James Traylor admitted in Sylmar Juvenile Court that he shot Christopher Perea, another 12-year-old resident of the Antelope Valley community, on Jan 31.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies said the boys began arguing when the victim picked up a baseball that belonged to James.

The defendant was playing at his home with Christopher and another friend on the afternoon of the slaying, deputies said. After the trio decided to go to a nearby video arcade, Christopher reportedly refused to put the baseball down. James then grabbed a .22-caliber rifle registered to his father, deputies said.

Fired From Top of Stairs

As Christopher walked down a stairway, still holding the baseball, James went to the top of the stairs and fired several shots at his friend, according to Deputy Sheriff Joe Garza.

Christopher was pronounced dead of multiple gunshot wounds at Antelope Valley Medical Center.

The other playmate reported the shooting immediately afterwards and James was arrested at his home, Garza said. Neither of the boy’s parents was home at the time of the slaying, he said.

The boy was taken to the Sylmar Juvenile Hall of Justice, where he was charged with murder.

Because of his age the boy has been prosecuted as a juvenile. The maximum sentence he can receive on Tuesday’s plea is confinement by the California Youth Authority until he reaches his 25th birthday, Deputy Dist. Atty. Nancy Lidamore said.

The boy is being held in Juvenile Hall in Sylmar pending sentencing, which was set for May 22.