Youth Slain, Crowd Kills His Attacker

A Pacoima man killed a Val Verde teen-ager and injured three other men after a party early Sunday morning, and then was captured and beaten to death by outraged onlookers, authorities said.

David Mota, 20, was leaving a large party in Val Verde, a rural town in the Santa Clarita Valley, at about 1:20 a.m. when he saw 17-year-old Gerardo Valle breaking up a fight between two youths, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Robbins said.

Mota went to his car, removed a 12-gauge shotgun from the trunk and shot Valle once in the face, killing him instantly, Robbins said.

Mota then fired two or three more shots into a crowd of more than 30 people, hitting three men, Robbins said. The crowd jumped Mota, clubbed him with a fence post and dragged him 30 feet along Trevyelon Street to Morningside Drive, Robbins said.

A neighbor who witnessed the incident said the crowd beat Mota to death using four-by-fours and Mota’s own shotgun. Mota died at the scene of massive head injuries.

The three injured men were taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, where two were in fair condition and another in serious condition Sunday evening, a nursing supervisor reported. A hospital spokeswoman refused to release any names.

The Sheriff’s Department reported no arrests by Sunday night, and Robbins said no motive for the shooting has been established. Val Verde resident Evodio Gudino said two men tried to hide in his woodshed early Sunday morning but were chased away by his son.

Neighbors said Saturday night’s party attracted about 500 people, and that residents on Trevyelon Street often host large, noisy parties, but that before Sunday, none have ended in injuries or death.

Authorities would not say whether gang activity was involved. Sgt. Jerry Harper of the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s station said there have been some gang problems in the area, located off California 126 in the hills north of Newhall, but no major violence.

Gudino and several other residents said they believe that Val Verde, a community of 1,200, needs more police patrols to control the drug-dealing, drinking and gang activity that takes place at night, especially around Val Verde County Park.

“The guys come up here and take care of business because they know there’s no cops,” one resident said.

Harper agreed that the area could use more patrol cars. “It’s been a problem area for us, on and off,” he said.