Release Date: February 21, 2008

Contact:    Stacy Ratner, Senior Deputy District Attorney

(805) 654-5175

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that the grand jury has indicted Lino Hernandez (D.O.B 12/29/82), Alvino Hernandez (D.O.B. 4/1/80) and Alejandro Salas (D.O.B. 8/9/82) for the September 4, 2006, murder of Octavio Lopez and the attempted murder of Abraham Lopez, Richard Gonzalez and Michelle White. The indictment accuses Hernandez, Hernandez and Salas of one count of murder with a special circumstance that the defendants intentionally killed the victim while they were active members of the Colonia Chiques criminal street gang. The allegation charges that the murder was carried out to further the activities of the gang. All defendants are also charged with three counts of attempted murder with special allegations that those crimes were also committed for the benefit of the Colonia Chiques. All defendants were additionally charged with the use of a firearm in connection with these crimes.

Alvino Hernandez and Alejandro Salas continued their arraignment to March 17, 2008 at 1:30 p.m., in courtroom 14 of the Ventura County Superior Court. Lino Hernandez is currently incarcerated in the California Department of Corrections. He is expected to appear on March 17, 2008 with the other defendants. If convicted of the current offenses, the defendants will face life in prison without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty.