Man Slain in Beach Rioting Had Been Spur Posse Member

A young man slain in a confrontation with three Riverside County men during Fourth of July rioting in Huntington Beach had been a member of the notorious Lakewood Spur Posse in 1993, officials said Thursday.

Christopher Albert, 21, once a popular athlete at Lakewood High School, was never arrested as a member of the Spur Posse, but he acknowledged a longtime membership in the group. Like other Spurs, he bragged during television interviews about multiple sexual conquests, each of which was said to earn “points” in the group hierarchy.

Albert also bragged in an interview with The Times about the fights posse members engaged in. “That was part of our fun,” he said.

Late Tuesday night Albert was walking with friends when an argument broke out with the Riverside County men, police said. Officers said Esteban Quiroz, 22, of Riverside pulled out a pistol and shot Albert in the chest.

Quiroz and his companions--Matthew Wayne Raymond of Riverside and Roy Becerra of Corona--were arrested a few minutes later after police stopped their car. Quiroz was booked on suspicion of murder and the two other men were booked on suspicion of being accessories to murder. All three were being held Thursday in lieu of $250,000 bail each.