CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / ANAHEIM

A manager and service technician who worked for Southern California Gas Co. were found shot to death in their cars, which were parked in separate cities. The incidents prompted many employees to work in alternative locations Wednesday while police tried to piece together what happened.

The technician was found first in an employee parking lot at 1919 S. State College Blvd. in Anaheim about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Anaheim police and company officials. The man, identified only as a Westminster resident in his late 30s, had just finished his shift and was in his car when he was shot, said Anaheim Police Sgt. Tim Schmidt. He had suffered at least one gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene.

At 5:42 a.m. Wednesday, the manager, 43, was found dead in his car outside his Pomona home in the 300 block of East La Verne Avenue, according to Pomona Police Sgt. Richard Baker.

Detectives from both police departments began working together after the second body was discovered.

The manager had been with the company 20 years; the field technician eight. They had worked together in Anaheim as recently as six months ago, but the manager moved to a Pasadena office within the last year, the officials said.

-- Ari B. Bloomekatz