| For Immediate Release Case # 10NF0673 December 20, 2013 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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GANG MEMBER CONVICTED OF 2006 MURDER OF COLLEGE SENIOR OUTSIDE HALLOWEEN PARTY
SANTA ANA – A La Habra criminal street gang member was convicted today of shooting and murdering a college student outside of a Halloween party. David Anthony Parga, 27, formerly of La Habra, was found guilty by a jury of one felony count of second degree murder and sentencing enhancements for the personal discharge of a firearm causing death and criminal street gang activity. He faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in state prison at his sentencing March 7, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-28, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
On the early morning of Oct. 29, 2006, Parga was at or near a Halloween party at a house in La Habra. The majority of the attendees at the party were members of a criminal street gang. Victim Leland Washington was not in a gang and had no gang affiliations. Washington arrived at the party with a friend at the invitation of two other high school friends.
Outside of the house, Parga approached Washington and shot him without provocation several times in the torso. Parga murdered the victim for a criminal street gang purpose. Washington and Parga did not know each other, and the victim had no previous contact or conflict with anyone at the party.
After shooting Washington, Parga fled the scene. Washington’s friends put him in the car, called 911, and drove him two blocks to the La Habra Police Department station. The victim was transported from the police department to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Washington was a student at California State University, Fullerton, and was one semester away from graduating.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Jim Mendelson of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
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