Oxnard : Man Pleads Not Guilty in Slaying

A reputed Oxnard gang member denied he killed a 17-year-old clerk after exchanging dirty looks with a passenger in the victim’s car in a gang-related incident of “mad-dogging.”

Jessie Casares, 20, pleaded not guilty in Ventura County Municipal Court Wednesday to charges of murder and possession of a firearm in the Oct. 22 shooting death of William F. Leadbetter of Oxnard. Casares also denied a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, which stemmed from an earlier conviction for possessing a dagger, Deputy Dist. Atty. Donald C. Glynn said.

William was driving along 5th Street with a passenger, Joey Ramirez, 20, an alleged member of the Trouble Street El Rio gang, when the two passed a car driven by Casares, an alleged member of the rival Colonia gang, police said.

Casares and Ramirez began exchanging dirty looks or “mad-dogging,” police said, and both cars pulled into the parking lot of a coin-operated laundry. Casares got out of his car and began shooting a .25-caliber pistol, hitting William once in the eye, police said.

Judge Steven Hintz ordered Casares held in lieu of $250,000 bail pending a preliminary hearing next month.