Pacoima Man Pleads Guilty in Beating Death

A 28-year-old Pacoima man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Wednesday for arranging the beating death of a former co-worker who he claimed had taunted him about being homosexual, prosecutors said.

Raul Anicua, who entered the plea in San Fernando Municipal Court, will be sentenced to 15 years to life in prison next month for his role in the death of Hortencio Aragon, 20, of Northridge, Deputy Dist. Atty. Jacquelyn Lacey said.

Anicua and Aragon both worked at Guiliano’s Delicatessen in Northridge and had a continuing dispute before the incident, prosecutors said.

“According to Anicua, the victim goaded him about being homosexual,” Lacey said. “But according to a relative of the victim, Anicua was coming on to him and had physically touched him.”

Anicua, who later confessed to police, said Aragon had made threatening statements to him while at work, prompting him to quit. Anicua then hired Christopher Dodds, 25, of Sepulveda to assault Aragon, Lacey said.

The two drove to the delicatessen on Oct. 19 and waited for Aragon to leave work. As the worker rode away on a bicycle, Dodds jumped from the car with a baseball bat and assaulted Aragon, Lacey said.

Aragon died two days later of head injuries.

Anicua had been charged with first-degree murder with a special circumstance and could have been sentenced to the death penalty if convicted.

Dodds faces a charge of murder for financial gain and is due in court for a preliminary hearing May 9.