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| La Mirada, California. Bedroom community. Scene of triple murder in 04. |
NORWALK – A Whittier man accused of luring would-be buyers to his home through an auto sale magazine, then fatally shooting and robbing the men, was convicted today of capital murder.
Jurors deliberated for one day before convicting Cimarron Bernard Bell, 36, of four counts of first-degree murder, said Deputy District Attorney Todd Hicks of the Major Crimes Division, who co-prosecuted the case with Deputy District Attorney Michele Hanisee.
Jurors additionally found true special circumstance allegations of multiple murders, lying in wait and murder for financial gain, plus a special allegation of personal use of a handgun.
Norwalk Superior Court Judge Dewey Falcone said the penalty phase of the trial will begin on April 11 in Department W of Norwalk Court.
The trial for co-defendant Briaell Michael Lee, 28, is slated to take place later this year.
On Jan. 30, 2004, the bodies of Mario Larios, 23, and Edgar Valles, 22, both of West Covina, and Fernando Piña, 25, who was visiting from Mexico, were discovered inside a Mercedes Benz that had been left in a La Mirada parking lot. The complaint alleged the men were killed on Jan. 27, 2004.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that Bell placed an advertisement for a 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in an auto sale magazine for the purpose of luring would-be buyers, whom he intended to kill and rob. Bell fatally shot two of the victims and co-defendant Lee allegedly shot one of the men.
Bell also was convicted for the Nov. 11, 2003 murder of Ineka Edmonson, 22. Bell believed Edmonson – one of the defendant’s girlfriends who had partnered with him in a stolen-check-cashing scheme – was stealing from him.
Edmonson died from three close-range gunshot wounds to the head.
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