Local News in Brief : Man Sought in October Slaying Finally Caught
An alleged gang member sought since October in the murder of a Van Nuys man whose brother he had killed five years ago was in jail Thursday after being captured in San Diego, police said.
Ambrosio Villagrana, 26, of Van Nuys was charged with the fatal shooting of Jorge Rafael Cuevas, 30. Cuevas was shot in an alley near Cedros Avenue and Delano Street on Oct. 16, Detective Ernie Guzman said.
Villagrana, who was arrested Wednesday by San Diego police when he was stopped for a traffic violation, was being held without bail at Van Nuys Jail, police said.
Guzman said Cuevas was killed in the alley near his home during a confrontation with Villagrana, who five years earlier had pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the May 1983 shooting death of Cuevas’ older brother, Sergio, in Van Nuys.
Guzman said Villagrana served less than three years in prison before returning to the Van Nuys area. There have been longstanding hard feelings between Jorge Cuevas and Villagrana, the detective said.
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