NORTHRIDGE : Man, 18, Charged in Teen-Ager’s Slaying

A Porter Ranch man has been charged with murdering a Northridge teen-ager whose body has yet to be found, a spokeswoman for the Los Angles County district attorney’s office said Thursday.

Evans York, 18, was also charged with a special-circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of a robbery in connection with the death of Michael Azzaro, 16, who has been missing since Valentine’s Day, said spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons. Prosecutors will decide later whether to seek the death penalty, she said.

Gibbons declined to elaborate on the evidence that prompted the district attorney’s office to file the charges, even though Azzaro’s body remains missing.

“All we can say is that Devonshire detectives presented us with evidence regarding the case and that evidence resulted in the murder case we filed,” Gibbons said. Deputy Dist. Atty. Sera Boyadjian filed the charges Thursday in San Fernando Municipal Court, where York is scheduled to be arraigned next Thursday, Gibbons said.

Azzaro and York were seen together in Azzaro’s car in the Van Nuys area Feb. 13, Gibbons said. Azzaro was reported missing on Valentine’s Day and the following day York went to police and reported that he and Azzaro had been kidnaped.

That same day, Azzaro’s car was discovered on Imperial Highway in the Lennox area, Gibbons said. York was already in police custody Thursday on an unrelated weapons charge and was arrested on the murder warrant.