3 Charged in Killing of Security Guard

Murder charges were filed Wednesday against three gang members suspected of gunning down a security guard while trying to steal his gun behind a North Hollywood movie theater in March.

Charles R. Doll, 51, died in a hail of gunfire on the top level of a parking structure behind Century 7 Theatres in the 12800 block of Victory Boulevard on March 11.

Nelson Castillo, 20, Juan Martinez, 19, and Jesse Tarver, 20, all of Los Angeles, were identified through fingerprints found in a stolen car parked near Doll’s body, Deputy Dist. Atty. Edward Nison said.

The three also were charged Wednesday with four counts of robbery stemming from an incident the same night in West Hollywood. In addition, Nison said, the men are suspected in several other robberies still under investigation.

Because Doll was killed during a robbery attempt, prosecutors have the option of pursuing the death penalty.

Nison said the three men went to the theater to steal Doll’s gun. Martinez allegedly wrestled with the guard while trying to grab the gun. Nison said Castillo and Tarver, each of whom was armed, shot Doll several times during the struggle.

Doll, who was employed by a private security firm retained by the theater to patrol the parking structure, was on his second day on the job when he was killed. His body was found by theater patrons who heard shots about 11:45 p.m. He had been shot at least six times and died at the scene, Nison said.

Castillo, Martinez and Tarver were identified through fingerprints found in a silver 1984 Honda Prelude, which had been stolen about 90 minutes before the shooting outside a West Hollywood nightclub, Nison said. In that incident, two or three armed men demanded a car and money from four people in the 7900 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, he said.

Castillo was arrested Friday in Sunland. Martinez and Tarver already were in custody on other charges. Castillo and Martinez will be arraigned Jan. 3 in San Fernando Municipal Court. An arraignment date had not been set for Tarver.