Victim of ’92 Shooting Dies; Murder Charges Likely for 3

A 21-year-old man paralyzed from the neck down 2 1/2 years ago in a suspected gang shooting has died, and authorities said Friday that the three suspects probably will be charged with murder.

Robert James Thomson of Orange died late Thursday. An autopsy performed Friday found the death resulted from the gunshot wound in the head that he suffered Oct. 12, 1992.

The incident, involving two groups of teen-agers from rival gangs, began at a supermarket on Collins Avenue, according to police. Thomson, then 19, was behind a gas station in the 800 block of North Tustin Avenue when he was hit. At least five shots were fired, police said.

A year ago, police asked for the public’s help in locating three suspects, all believed to be affiliated with a Santa Ana gang. The three were Anibal Geovany Hernandez, 18, Juan Molinero Zaldivar, 20, and an unnamed juvenile. All three remain at large.

Police said the warrants would be sent to the Orange County district attorney’s office, which would probably amend them to reflect the coroner’s ruling that the cause of death was homicide.