One Is Next-Door Neighbor of Dead Man : 2 More Arrested in Newport Shooting

An Irvine man and a Newport Beach woman were arrested Thursday in connection with the beating and shooting death of the woman’s next-door neighbor during a weekend party, raising to seven the number of suspects in the case.

Arrested were Richard K. Nogawa, 21, and Heather R. Rose, 21. Newport Beach police officials arrested four others Saturday night, shortly after John Fahey, 21, was found dead on the street in front of his West Balboa Boulevard apartment. A fifth suspect was arrested Sunday.

“The investigation revealed that (Rose) was an actual participant and directly involved in the event that led to the shooting,” said police spokesman Andy Gonis. “We also discovered that the suspects gathered in her apartment before the assault.”

Rose, who lives in Apartment A at 1324 W. Balboa Blvd., also reportedly was involved in a dispute with another female neighbor, who was a friend of the victim, Gonis said.

“We’re not sure how the dispute ties into this, but we do know the suspect had an argument with the neighbor a few days before the murder,” Gonis said.

Nogawa’s arrest was based on witness statements that contended that he was present during the assault and shooting, Gonis said.

Fahey was dead on arrival at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, where paramedics took him following the 10:25 p.m. shooting.

The four arrested an hour later at a nearby restaurant were: Stanley F. Anaya, 20, of San Pedro; Tito G. Huizar, 19, of Long Beach; Larry V. Pena, 24, of Long Beach, and a 17-year-old juvenile from Carson.

The following day, police arrested Reynaldo Zepeda, 20, at his Long Beach home.

A preliminary hearing at Municipal Court in Newport Beach is scheduled Oct. 16 for Zepeda and Huizar, both reputed members of a Carson gang.

At the time of the shooting, both men were free on $100,000 bail in a case in which they allegedly shot a rival gang member in the hand and leg last Dec. 28. They were scheduled for trial last Monday in Los Angeles.