CONEJO VALLEY : 5th Youth Charged in Fatal Stabbing

Charges were filed Tuesday against a 17-year-old Conejo Valley youth in an Agoura Hills stabbing death, making him the fifth teen-ager charged in the slaying of a Los Angeles police detective’s son.

Murder, attempted murder and robbery charges were filed against the youth, who will be arraigned today in Sylmar Juvenile Court.

The charges were filed as investigators released more details of the fatal May 22 stabbing of Jimmy Farris, 16, in an Agoura Hills teen “clubhouse.” Farris was visiting a friend, Mike McLoren, 16, who lived in the shed in the back yard of his family’s home.

A group of five local youths arrived at the clubhouse about 7 p.m., Detective Bill Neumann said. While one 17-year-old Agoura Hills youth remained outside with his pickup truck, the other four jumped the fence around the property and walked to the clubhouse door, where they were met by McLoren and Farris, Neumann said.

One youth strode directly into the clubhouse, Neumann said, and McLoren followed him. When the other three went into the clubhouse, Farris also entered, Neumann said.

Inside, a brief argument ensued, and then a fight broke out, Neumann said.

Neumann said marijuana found inside a locked drawer in the clubhouse may have been the cause of the dispute. Defense attorneys contend that the argument was over a marijuana deal gone bad, but Neumann said he was not certain that was the source of disagreement. He and prosecutors say the youths entered the clubhouse to steal the contents.

Bruce Jones, attorney for one of the suspects, has said at a Juvenile Court hearing that Jason Holland, 18, of Thousand Oaks drew a knife and stabbed Farris and McLoren.

Holland remains at large, but four others are in custody: the 17-year-old Agoura Hills youth, a 15-year-old Thousand Oaks boy, the 17-year-old charged Tuesday and 18-year-old Brandon Hein of Oak Park.

Prosecutors are seeking to have the juveniles tried as adults.