8 Charged in Slaying of William Zara, 18

Eight members and associates of a west Ventura gang were charged Thursday with killing an 18-year-old man by beating him with a bat and shovel and stabbing him several times during an altercation over a noisy party, a prosecutor said.

Seven of the suspects were charged with murder, conspiracy to commit assault and under a third statute that makes it a crime to be a gang member or an associate who urges gang members to commit a felony, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Maeve Fox.

A juvenile gang member was charged with murder and a fitness hearing scheduled for Nov. 12 to see whether the 14-year-old boy will be tried as an adult, Fox said.

The suspects allegedly killed William Scott Zara on Sept. 25 outside the victim’s East Warner Street apartment. The suspects allegedly believed Zara had called police on them to complain about noise at a party across the street.

Prosecutors charged gang associates Frank Olvera, 33, and his wife, Rosana Olvera, 36; and gang members Terry Schell, 22; Dagoberto Davila, 23; Chris Gonzales, 22; Mario Jaquez, 19; and Benny Lopez, who is 19 or 20. Authorities did not release the name of the juvenile.

Lopez is not in custody and remained at large Thursday night, Fox said.

In addition to the other charges, Frank Olvera and Lopez are each charged with using a deadly weapon and committing great bodily injury. Fox said Olvera and Lopez used the bat and shovel to inflict the fatal blows.