Robbery Suspect Charged With Murder in Accidental Death

A suspected robber was charged with murder Wednesday in the death of a North Hollywood woman whose fiance accidentally shot her to death while trying to thwart a robbery, authorities said.

Bryant Jerome Clark, 18, of North Hollywood was charged with the murder of Hilda Blackburn, 47, who was killed Sunday night. He also faces one charge each of robbery and battery causing serious bodily injury.

Clark’s alleged accomplice, Leon Raymond Walls, 19, of Canoga Park pleaded not guilty Wednesday in San Fernando Municipal Court to charges of robbery and battery causing serious bodily injury and was held in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Police said Blackburn and her fiance, Louis Roldan, 45, of Los Angeles were getting into their car outside the Century 7 Theatreson Victory Boulevard on Sunday night when two men wearing Halloween masks walked up behind them.

Blackburn and Roldan were hit in the face and knocked to the ground as the attackers attempted to take Blackburn’s purse, police said.

Roldan, a veteran Monterey Park reserve officer, managed to get his gun and shot at the two men but accidentally struck Blackburn once in the chest, according to police reports.

Clark was hit in the leg and was hospitalized at AMI Medical Center of North Hollywood, police said.

Walls escaped, but surrendered to Los Angeles police at the West Valley station, investigators said.

Although Clark did not fire the shot that killed Blackburn, prosecutors can file a murder charge against him because his actions caused the woman’s death, authorities said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Janice L. Maurizi said Clark “charged at the victim after the purse snatching,” which prompted Roldan to shoot.