Accomplice in Pizza Shop Killings Gets 50 Years to Life

A Lake View Terrace man was sentenced Friday to the maximum term of 50 years to life in prison for participating in the murders of two Domino’s Pizza employees shot by a teen-age accomplice during a robbery.

San Fernando Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen imposed the sentence on Reginald Leon Morris, 22, despite a plea by the man’s lawyer that the two 25-year terms--one for each count of first-degree murder--be served concurrently.

But Coen said the sentences should be served consecutively because the murders involved separate acts of violence and because there were multiple victims. Also, Coen said, Morris was an active participant in the crime, which resulted in the deaths of Sean Patrick Linn, 23, of Granada Hills and Freddie Zuniga, 24, of San Fernando.

A jury convicted Morris on March 19 of the two murder counts as well as one count of robbery, for which he received a three-year prison term Friday that he may serve concurrently with the other sentences.

Morris’ accomplice, who was 15 at the time of the robbery on Aug. 21, 1988, admitted the killings and was placed in the custody of the California Youth Authority, which will release him when he turns 25, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Morris planned the robbery and that the 15-year-old, who was a cook at the Foothill Boulevard restaurant, shot his co-workers to eliminate witnesses. Morris, however, testified he accompanied the youth but was unaware the boy wanted to rob the pizza parlor.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Craig R. Richman said that, under current sentencing guidelines, Morris is expected to serve the 50 years in prison before he becomes eligible for parole.