Defendant Was Victim of Double-Cross, Jury Told

Testifying under grants of immunity, three teenagers told jurors Tuesday about a drug deal double-cross that prosecutors allege was the catalyst for the bludgeon slayings of two boys on a La Crescenta playground.

“That’s him,” said 18-year-old Grant Meyer, pointing out defendant Michael Demirdjian in Pasadena Superior Court as the youth whom he and two others cheated out of $660.

The incident took place five days before Demirdjian allegedly killed 13-year-old Christopher McCulloch and 14-year-old Blaine Talmo Jr.

Demirdjian’s defense attacked the credibility of all three teenagers, who all face unrelated criminal charges.

Deputy Dist. Attys. Steve Barshop and Truc Do allege that Demirdjian, who is now 16, robbed and killed Blaine and Christopher after he was cheated out of $660 worth of high-potency marijuana. Blaine had introduced Demirdjian to a known drug dealer, Adam Walker, who was responsible for “the rip-off,” Barshop said.

Defense attorney Charles T. Mathews told jurors Demirdjian was only a witness to the crime, committed at Valley View Elementary School. Demirdjian says Walker killed the boys, according to his attorney.

Walker was initially arrested on suspicion of the slayings, but police say he is no longer a suspect.

Walker has indicated that if called as a witness, he may invoke his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination and remain silent, according to lawyers on both sides.

Each of the three teenagers who testified Tuesday said he was with Walker on the day he allegedly cheated Demirdjian.

Walker was a known drug dealer, testified Greg Furnish of Glendale, a 19-year-old admitted dealer who said he and Walker shared a pager “used to hook up buyers.”’

Furnish said he and Walker sold mostly marijuana and on occasion, mushrooms, LSD and ecstasy. They also sold cigarettes to underage kids, Furnish said, and they knew Blaine as a client who bought cigarettes and marijuana.

On July 17, Furnish said he was paged by someone named “Mike” who wanted to buy $660 worth of marijuana.

Furnish believed that “Mike” had been referred by Blaine.

Walker decided he would cheat “Mike” out of his money, Furnish testified.

Walker, accompanied by two other youths, went to meet “Mike” at a local school.

There Demirdjian gave Walker a wad of money, testified Keith Shill, 19, of Glendale.

The sellers then drove away, keeping the money without delivering the drugs, Shill testified. Meyer, who drove the car, confirmed the account.

Walker kept $500 and gave Shill and Meyer $80 each, according to testimony.

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Shortly afterward, they received a new message on the digital display of the pager shared between Walker and Furnish: “187”--the California Penal Code section, and street parlance, for murder.

Meyer, Furnish and Shill all currently face burglary-related charges before Pasadena Superior Court Judge Joseph F. De Vanon, who is also presiding over Demirdjian’s murder trial.

Under questioning by Mathews, one of the teenagers said he was released on his own recognizance and did not have to post any bail in connection with the burglary case.

“It would help, hopefully,” Furnish said, about the effect of his testimony on his other criminal case. “All I know is it can’t hurt me.”