Police: Suspect in baby shooting in Calif. jail

[July 05, 2010]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A suspect in the shooting death of a 4-month-old boy killed after a family baptism celebration was in a Los Angeles County jail Sunday, three days after he was captured in Mexico and 10 months after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Ricardo Hernandez, 24, was being held without bail on suspicion of murder, Los Angeles police said in a statement.

Hernandez, a U.S. citizen, was taken into custody in Jalisco, Mexico, on Thursday after Los Angeles police detectives received a tip and alerted Mexican authorities. On Friday he was deported to the U.S., arrested on the outstanding murder warrant and booked at Van Nuys jail.

Law enforcement officials reached Sunday by phone did not know if Hernandez had hired an attorney and it was not clear when he would be arraigned.

Another suspect, 18-year-old Alfonzo Landa, pleaded not guilty to murder in October and remains jailed on more than $9 million bail.

A family friend was sitting in a car and feeding 4-month-old Andrew Garcia with a bottle after a family baptism celebration in the San Fernando Valley on Sept. 27.

Police allege that Hernandez and Landa walked by and exchanged words with a gang member standing outside the car, then Hernandez opened fire.

Garcia was declared dead at a hospital with a bullet wound to the head, and two adults -- the 18-year-old man standing outside the car and the 28-year-old woman feeding the baby -- were wounded.

Landa was arrested about two weeks after the shooting, and about a week later an arrest warrant was issued for Hernandez.

"He was linked to the crime by both physical evidence and a variety of tips and leads," the Sunday police statement said.

Police said both suspects were reputed gang members.

[Associated Press]

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