Pacoima Man Slays Teen-Ager, Is Beaten to Death By Crowd

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

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

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 30 to 60 people, hitting three men, Robbins said, before the crowd retaliated. Mota was clubbed with a fence post and dragged 30 feet along Trevyelon Street to Morningside Drive, Robbins said.

Man Beaten to Death by Crowd

A neighbor who told of witnessing the incident said the crowd beat Mota to death using pieces of wood and Mota’s own shotgun. Mota died of massive head injuries at the scene.

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

Robbins said no motive for the shooting has been established.

The sheriff’s deputies had reported no arrests by Sunday evening. Val Verde resident Evodio Gudino said two men tried to hide in his woodshed early Sunday morning, but were chased away by his son.

Party Crowd Estimated at 500

Neighbors said Saturday night’s party attracted about 500 people and that residents on Trevyelon Street often hold large, noisy parties. They said that no previous party had ended in injuries or death.

Sheriff’s deputies would not say whether gangs were 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 Val Verde, a community of 1,200, needs more police patrols to control 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.