Mans Pleads Not Guilty in Slaying at Mall

A Canoga Park man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a charge he shot a woman to death during a robbery in the parking lot of the Topanga Plaza mall.

Emelito Halili Exmundo, 28, entered the plea in Van Nuys Municipal Court to murder, two counts of robbery and one of auto theft.

Exmundo, who was being held without bail, could face the death penalty if convicted because the slaying occurred during a robbery and involved the use of a firearm.

Exmundo is accused of shooting Camille Gibbs, 45, of Canoga Park, who had gone to the mall to buy a wedding gift.

Los Angeles police said Exmundo approached her Friday as she was loading packages into her Corvette, shot her during a brief struggle and took her purse and car.

Exmundo was arrested several hours later when he was shot in the leg during a struggle with the owner of a Chatsworth liquor store during another alleged robbery.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Phil Rabichow said the car theft charge against Exmundo was based on the recovery of a stolen car that police found in front of his home. The license plates on the car, which had been stolen March 13 in North Hollywood, were registered to Exmundo, Rabichow said.