18-Year-Old Pleads Not Guilty to Murder in Guard’s Death

Two Long Beach teen-agers were charged Wednesday in the carjacking killing of school crossing guard Catherine Tucker. Prosecutors said the gunman was the younger of the two--a 17-year-old whose name has not been released because he is a juvenile.

Virgil Jason Clarke, 18, and the 17-year-old were each charged with one count of murder and robbery.

Clarke, who pleaded not guilty Wednesday in a Long Beach Municipal Court arraignment, also was charged with the special circumstance of murder committed during the course of robbery, meaning he could face the death penalty or life in prison without parole if he is convicted on both counts, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Linda Bushling.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 22.

Prosecutors said the 17-year-old has been charged with the special allegation of personal use of a firearm, and they will request that he be tried as an adult. A hearing on that is expected in the next three weeks. The youth is scheduled to be arraigned today in Long Beach Juvenile Court.

Both are being held without bail.

Tucker, 46, disappeared just before 7 a.m. Monday from the corner of Burnett Street and Pacific Avenue, where she had worked as a crossing guard for about six years.

Clarke and his friend, both Polytechnic High School seniors attending summer school, were arrested about five hours later. Tucker’s body was found in the trunk of the car.