LOS ANGELES : Woman, 4 Men Charged in Bank Slaying, Holdups

Five people were charged Friday in connection with two bank robberies, including one in San Pedro in which a security guard was killed and another in Los Angeles in which a guard was shot in the back.

Four men and one woman are accused in the July 20 robbery of the Home Bank in San Pedro and the July 26 robbery of the Gilmore Bank in Los Angeles. Security guard Juan Corona was shot and killed at the San Pedro bank. Gabriel Gomez, a guard at the Gilmore Bank at 6291 W. 3rd St., was wounded in that robbery.

Sonja Key, 27, William Blackwell, 27, Zoelee Issac, 22, Timothy Williams, 22, and Deon Flowers, 20, were arrested outside Wells Fargo Bank at 6324 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. Deputy Dist. Atty. Terry Bork of the office’s Career Criminal Division said some of the charges against the defendants include their alleged planned attempt to hold up the Hollywood bank.

Although most of the defendants face murder charges, Key is additionally charged with murder with special circumstances in connection with the San Pedro security guard’s killing. Key also faces counts of attempted murder, assault with a firearm, commercial burglary, attempted burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery.

If convicted on all charges, Key would face the death penalty. Blackwell, Issac and Flowers would each face maximum prison terms of 25 years to life. Williams would face three years and eight months in prison. A 17-year-old girl is being prosecuted by juvenile authorities.