2 Held in Death of Cashier at Service Station : Crime: Alleged gang member is arrested on suspicion of robbery and murder of woman in Seal Beach last month. A second, juvenile suspect is in custody.

Two reputed gang members from Long Beach were in custody Thursday in connection with the shooting death of a 33-year-old gas station cashier that prompted a $25,000 reward and a community effort to help police solve the case.

Oscar Lemus, a 19-year-old landscaper living with his parents, was arrested at home late Wednesday on suspicion of robbery and murder in the slaying at an Arco gas station at 490 Pacific Coast Highway, Detective Gary Krogman said.

A 14-year-old boy already in custody in Los Angeles County on an unrelated charge of violating probation is also being investigated in connection with the killing, Krogman said. The boy was not identified because of his age.

“We had several things that pointed to them, mostly evidence from the scene and information from witnesses,” Krogman said. “We can’t talk about the specifics because the investigation is still ongoing, and we still have more witnesses to interview.”

Police allege that early March 12, the suspects entered the gas station through the front door, took an undisclosed amount of cash and shot Danette Garrett to death. Garrett, of Long Beach, had recently moved back to Southern California from Florida to start her life over after a failed marriage, relatives said.

“I’m relieved that they were caught, if they are the right ones, because I wouldn’t want this to happen to anyone else,” said Garrett’s mother, Joann Garrett of Yakima, Wash. “But as far as being happy, I can’t be happy. There’s no bringing her back to me.”

The slaying was the first homicide in Seal Beach this year and prompted residents and business owners to post flyers throughout the city asking for information about Garrett’s killing. Arco posted a $25,000 reward, but the disposition of the money has not yet been decided, officials said.

Investigators were pleased with the way in which the case developed because at the outset, “there was nothing to go on,” Detective Bob Mullins said. Information from a confidential informant led investigators to the 14-year-old suspect, whom police identified as a member of a Long Beach street gang, he said.

“Then the co-conspirator led us to the second suspect,” Mullins said.

According to court records, Lemus was convicted of grand theft in Los Angeles County Superior Court in July, 1994, and was sentenced to 270 days in county jail and three years’ probation.

Lemus, also identified by police as a Long Beach gang member, was being held without bail at Orange County Jail. He was scheduled to be arraigned today in Municipal Court, police said. If convicted, could face the death penalty, Mullins said.

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Joann Garrett said she is not sure she would like to see the death penalty imposed for her only daughter’s slaying, but she is sure that she doesn’t want to see the person responsible “walking the streets.”

“To ask me what he deserves is difficult because he took away my daughter,” she said. “I want to be less bitter, but I just don’t know how right now.”

Danette Garrett moved to Long Beach last fall and had been working at the gas station for about three months when she was found lying face down in a pool of blood in an upstairs office two hours before she was scheduled to get off work at 7 a.m., detectives said.

A newspaper carrier called police when he arrived to find the lights off and the door ajar.

“It’s been a month, and I’m still on an emotional roller coaster, “ Joann Garrett said. “Sometimes I’m OK, and other times I get cold and I just don’t know how to deal with all this.”