Jury to Deliberate Arleta Triple-Slaying

Three eyewitness and 15 bullets linking Juan Guillen to a triple slaying were described by prosecutors Monday as keys to unraveling one of the rare mass killings in the San Fernando Valley in recent years.

Jurors were set to begin deliberations today in the case of Guillen, 26, who could face life in prison.

Guillen’s defense focused on the fact that several witnesses are admitted gang members, and that some witnesses testified that they heard shots coming from more than one direction during a party the night of Jan. 14, 2001.

Los Angeles Deputy Dist. Atty. Shellie Samuels told jurors they must push aside their notions of gang members when considering their testimony.

“You have three gang members at this party, probably on drugs, and I’m asking you to believe these witnesses,” Samuels said.

“Believe me, if I could have picked my witnesses, I wouldn’t have picked these witnesses. But I didn’t pick them, the defendant did,” Samuels said.

The three victims were alleged members of the Pacoima Trece gang: Joel Gonzalez, 27, of Arleta; Jesse Abel, 24, of Pacoima; and Jack Loutsios, 17, of Mission Hills.

A ballistics experts from the Los Angeles Police Department testified that 15 of 16 shell casings of bullets found at the scene, a birthday party in Arleta, were fired from the same gun, the prosecutor said.

Guillen, speaking from the courtroom holding cell in between testimony during the trial, denied having anything against Abel. “We grew up together,” Guillen said.

Guillen’s attorney, Nancy Mazza, argued that Det. Jose Martinez rushed to judgment and threatened witnesses, coercing them to name Guillen.

Guillen maintains that Martinez is carrying out a vendetta against him.

Mazza said her client was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She reminded jurors of testimony from neighbors who said they heard shots from varying directions.

Guillen had left gang life and went to the party to check on his sound equipment, which was being used there, Mazza said.

During a court break, Pattie Ramirez, who was engaged to Abel, said a conviction of Guillen will be the only way to get closure.

“My daughter has been robbed of her father,” said Ramirez, 27, of Reseda.

Gonzalez’s mother, Julia, said through tears that her son wasn’t involved in the gang. “I’m waiting for justice to be done,” she said.