PANORAMA CITY : Man Admits to Gun Charge in Slaying

A 23-year-old Panorama City gang member has pleaded guilty to possessing stolen property in connection with the Oct. 31 slaying of the owner of an apartment building on Blythe Street during an attempted carjacking that went awry.

After he entered his plea Wednesday, Mario Navarro was sentenced by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Harwin to two years in prison for possessing a .38-caliber revolver that was taken from Donald Aragon after his death during a shootout in the driveway of his building, Deputy Dist. Atty. Shellie Samuels said.

Confronted by a group of armed gang members who demanded that he give them his truck and his shotgun, Aragon grabbed the pistol from beneath his seat and began shooting, police said. Before he died, he shot and killed one alleged assailant and wounded another.

Navarro had the handgun and shotgun when he was arrested Nov. 27, Samuels said.

Navarro was already on probation for an earlier offense when he was arrested, she said.

Aragon had been working with other building owners to rid Blythe Street of drug dealers, and some on the street believe he was killed in retaliation for his efforts.

Although a number of gang members surrounded his vehicle before shooting broke out, Samuels said the only other person facing charges in connection with Aragon’s death is a 17-year-old gang member who Aragon shot in the face.

The alleged killer, whose name was not released because he is a juvenile, is in custody in Sylmar Juvenile Hall.