3 Accused of Murder in Teller Machine Slaying

Three Granada Hills men who were charged with murder Friday could face the death penalty in the fatal shooting of a man who had just made a withdrawal from a Northridge automatic teller machine.

Elisaia Reupena, 26, was charged with one count of murder with special circumstances and one count of using a handgun during the commission of a crime in the slaying of Aslam Hasham, 29.

Two other suspects, Steven Rice, 19, and Marty Mares, 20, were also each charged with one count of murder with special circumstances.

The special circumstances allegation carries the death penalty option.

Hasham was shot to death Tuesday during a struggle with a gunman who confronted him after he made a withdrawal from a Coast Savings ATM at Nordhoff Street and Tampa Avenue, police said.

2 Friends Unhurt

Two of Hasham’s friends were robbed by a second gunman while they sat nearby in a car, police said. They were not injured.

Reupena was arrested Wednesday after officers were called to Granada Hills Community Hospital to investigate a report of a gunshot victim. Reupena suffered wounds in both legs in a struggle with the victim, according to police. The other suspects were arrested shortly after.

Rice was charged with an additional five counts of robbery and one count of kidnaping with intent to commit a robbery, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Norman F. Montrose. The charges stem from five separate robberies committed at automatic teller machines in the north San Fernando Valley area between March 8 and 20, Montrose said.

The three men are scheduled to be arraigned in San Fernando Municipal Court on Friday. If convicted of the charges, the men could each face the death penalty.

Charges have not yet been filed against a 17-year-old boy who was also arrested in connection with the slaying, Deputy Dist. Atty. Michelle R. Rosenblatt said.