Man Held in Robbery and Killing

Aided by video surveillance tapes, authorities arrested one of two suspects in the robbery and shooting death of a Valencia man at a Santa Clarita gas station.

Phaynes Reeda, 30, of West Los Angeles was taken into custody early Tuesday morning at the Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood, said Lt. Raymond Peavy of the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.

Peavy said Reeda and an unidentified accomplice had noticed Brandon Hunsche and his girlfriend at the Hollywood Park Casino on Monday night shortly before the shooting.

“We looked at the [surveillance] video from the casino,” Peavy said. “The victim won about $600 to $700 that night. You could see how happy he was, and less than an hour later he was dead. It’s very eerie.” Peavy said the suspects could also be seen on the videotape.

Authorities said the suspects followed Hunsche and his girlfriend on the Golden State Freeway to Santa Clarita.

Peavy said Hunsche was unaware his assailant knew about his casino winnings, telling him he only had a “few dollars.” Hunsche was shot during a scuffle with the robber. His girlfriend handed over her purse and was unharmed.

Investigators had told casino employees to be on the lookout for the suspects. About 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, detectives got a call from the casino that Reeda had returned. He was arrested shortly afterward by Inglewood police, Peavy said.

In addition to the casino video, detectives said they have footage of Reeda at a Texaco gas station in the 24400 block of Lyons Avenue, where the shooting occurred, as well as a videotape of the suspects driving past a nearby Burger King.

The second suspect, who drove Reeda away from the scene, is still at large. He is described as an African American in his mid-20s.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at (323) 890-5500.