LOCAL : Lavera Gets 58 Yrs. in Killing of Santa Ana Church Elder, L.A. Man for Beer Money

A reputed gang member was sentenced to 58-years-to-life in prison today for two slayings, including the murder of a Santa Ana church elder who was gunned down as he prayed in a telephone booth.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge J. Michael Byrne gave Todd Lavera, 25, the maximum penalty for being an accomplice in the first-degree murders of Leopoldo Salgado of Los Angeles and David Eugene Thompson, an elder of the Greater Zion Apostolic Church in Santa Ana.

Thompson, 27, and Salgado, 48, were shot to death within 90 minutes of each other in South Central Los Angeles on April 9, 1987, during an attempt by Lavera and two other men to obtain money to buy beer.

Byrne also ordered Lavera to pay $10,000 each to the Salgado and Thompson families as restitution. The Thompson family is from Tustin.

Lavera, who was not the triggerman, had faced a maximum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole, but Byrne reduced the punishment saying there was not enough evidence presented during the trial to show that Lavera intended to kill Thompson and Salgado.

In June, a Superior Court jury recommended that Lavera be given a life sentence after finding him guilty of a special circumstance allegation, murder during the commission of a robbery. The charge qualifies the defendant for the death penalty or life without parole.

Thompson was shot and killed in a telephone booth at Slauson Avenue and Broadway. Police said he had gone for help after a church bus broke down. As his wife, Namora, waited in their car, three men robbed them of $10 and shot Thompson as he prayed.

Police said the men then took the Thompsons’ car and drove to a liquor store where they bought beer and cigarettes. They returned to the store later and shot Salgado to death when he and his friend refused to give them money.

Still awaiting trial for first-degree murder and robbery is Tracy Lavell Carter, 21, of Los Angeles. Andre Moore, 19, earlier pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of Thompson and was sentenced to 32-years to life.