Peace Pleas at Tagger’s Funeral May Be Ignored : Service: Priest urges an end to violence. But relative of slain man says revenge likely.

The priest officiating at the funeral of an 18-year-old tagger shot to death in a midnight confrontation urged mourners Monday not to seek revenge, but comments by both sides raised the specter of further violence.

“There are some here who feel anger toward the person who did this,” said Father Brian Delaney of the San Fernando Mission at a graveside service for Cesar Rene Arce of Arleta.

“I pray of you, do not let your anger lead you to hurt others. There has been enough suffering. Let it stop here.”

But Arce’s aunt, Myrtle Caldera, said she expects Arce’s friends to ignore the priest’s plea. “They’re going to hunt him,” she said, referring to William Masters of Sun Valley, who said he shot Arce because Arce tried to rob him.

“They know where he lives. They know where he takes his walks.”

Masters, 35, could not be reached for comment Monday, but he has said repeatedly in news interviews that he regards it as essential to the defense of his rights as a citizen that he continue his habit of taking late-night walks in the northeastern San Fernando Valley, a high crime area. He has vowed to continue carrying a gun, although he has no permit to do so.

In an interview Friday, Masters said that if vengeance-seekers come after him, “I am going to make sure I take as many of the enemy with me.”

Such comments have angered Arce’s family, which has been protesting the decision by the Los Angeles district attorney’s office not to bring murder or manslaughter charges against Masters.

“That right there is telling you he’s going to kill again,” Cesar Arce’s sister, Lilia, said Monday.

Masters still may face misdemeanor charges for carrying a concealed firearm without a permit. Such charges would be brought by the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, which is reviewing the case. But felony charges were ruled out by the district attorney’s office, which concluded that Masters, a part-time actor and screenwriter, acted in justifiable self-defense when he killed Arce and wounded Arce’s friend David Hillo, 20, who was carrying a screwdriver.

The case drew dozens of calls and messages to police and the district attorney’s office, mostly from graffiti-haters voicing support for Masters. Calls to talk radio shows ran heavily in favor of Masters, who also received calls and messages of support at his home.

The public response to Masters’ actions has enraged Arce’s family. “People who are out there and saying he’s a hero are sick in the head,” said Lilia Arce. “They should know the difference between a hero and a killer. They must not have the capacity to understand English.”

Masters has said that he was walking on an uninhabited stretch of Arleta Boulevard after midnight when he came upon Arce and Hillo spray-painting graffiti on the pillars upholding the Hollywood Freeway where it passes over the street. He stopped and wrote down the license plate number of their car.

He and Hillo agree that Arce then demanded the note paper. Masters said that after he gave them the paper, Arce tried to rob him, which Hillo denies.

Masters said he was turning to leave when out of the corner of his eye he saw Arce moving toward him from behind, only an arm’s length away.

Los Angeles Police Detective Mike Coffey said Monday that although Arce was hit in the back, that did not rule out Masters’ version that Arce was attacking him. Arce “probably saw the turning motion of Masters, and turned away as a reflex” as Masters swiveled around with the gun and opened fire, Coffey said.

“I did what he forced me to do,” Masters has said of shooting Arce.

Masters then shot Hillo in the buttock, saying later he intended only to disable him. A trained marksman since childhood, Masters said he was acting on reflexes built up by years of training. Hillo was released after brief hospital treatment for the wound.

Hillo has said that he was turning to run when he was shot. Masters said Hillo threatened him with a screwdriver. Hillo agrees he had the tool, but said he did not think of it or use it as a weapon.

A crowd of about 100 mourners gathered at Arce’s funeral Monday. A few wore T-shirts reading “In Loving Memory of Insta”--Arce’s graffiti “tag.” The shirts also bore the initials “CFK,” the name of Arce’s graffiti “crew,” which members say stands for many things, among them “Crew Forever Known” and “Crew for Kings.”

Hillo was still angry at Masters, who gave “no warning at all” that he had a gun, Hillo said.

“There are so many things that guy could have done. Except he took someone’s life.”