Alexander Hernandez, accused of a vicious shooting spree that left four people dead in the Valley including Pacoima and Sylmar, had his scheduled July 26 arraignment in Los Angeles is postponed again until Sept. 30.
Officials from the L.A. District Attorney’s office requested the postponement because they are still deciding whether or not to to seek the death penalty.
Hernandez, a Sylmar resident, is charged with four counts of murder for the killings of Gilardo Morales on Aug. 21, 2011, and Gloria Tovar, Michael Planells and Mariana Franco on Aug. 24, 2014.
In addition, Hernandez is charged with seven counts of attempted murder, four counts of shooting at an occupied vehicle, three counts of cruelty to an animal, two counts of discharge of a firearm with gross negligence and one count each of possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of ammunition by a felon.
He pleaded not guilty to all 22 charges.
Morales, 48, of Pacoima, was shot on his way to work on Aug. 21 and was discovered inside his truck at an intersection with the engine still running.
The other victims who were killed on Aug. 24 include:
— Gloria Tovar, 59, who was was gunned down while waiting in her car to pick up a fellow church member for early morning Mass at Mary Immaculate Church in Pacoima;
— Michael Planells, 29, shot and killed in the parking lot of Sylmar Recreational Park, where nearby residents said he was picking up cans;
— Mariana Franco, 23, shot and killed while she was in a car with her parents, brother and sister. Her father was also shot but survived.
Police arrested Hernandez that same day after the suspect barricaded himself inside a residence in the area of Polk Street and Kismet Avenue in Sylmar for about an hour.
Hernandez has four prior convictions that include possession for sale of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a felon.
— Mike Terry