A local gang member who tattooed the Jan. 23, 2004, fatal shooting of a rival on his chest was convicted Wednesday of the murder.
Deputy District Attorney Brock Lunsford said Anthony Garcia faces 65 years to life in prison at his May 19 sentencing in Norwalk Superior Court.

A jury found the 25-year-old Garcia guilty of the first-degree murder of John Juarez and of shooting at an occupied vehicle. The jurors also found true the allegations that Garcia intentionally fired the gun causing injury and death to Juarez, used a handgun in the killing and committed the crimes for the benefit of Rivera 13 gang.

The prosecution's case was helped by the tattoo on Garcia's chest. The tattoo depicts a helicopter


A jury on Wednesday convicted Rivera 13 gang member Anthony Garcia of killing John Juarez on Jan. 23, 2004. The prosecution was helped by one of Garcia s tattoos which detectives say shows the crime scene. The tattoo depicts a helicopter shooting a Mr. Peanut in front of a liquor store. Juarez, 23, was shot outside Mr. Ed s Liquor on Rosemead Boulevard. The 25-year-old Garcia s gang moniker is Chopper and Juarez was from the Pico Nuevo gang. Rival gangs refer to Pico Nuevo members as peanuts. (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department)
shooting a Mr. Peanut in front of a liquor store. Juarez, 23, was shot outside Mr. Ed's Liquor at 6616 Rosemead Blvd. in Pico Rivera.
Garcia is a Rivera 13 gang member whose moniker is "Chopper" and Juarez was from the Pico Nuevo gang. Rival gangs refer to Pico Nuevo members as "peanuts."

"It's shocking to see someone was so audacious to put the crime scene on his chest. Plus factor in he put, `Rivera Kills' above that," Lunsford said.

He said homicide and undercover detectives he asked have not seen a tattoo like that.

Garcia's tattoo has details of the crime scene, Lunsford said. He said Garcia even got the trajectory of the bullets right.

The chopper is on the right firing at the Mr. Peanut, who is on the left side.

"That's exactly how he did it," Lunsford said.

The tattoo also includes a curved streetlight/sign to the left of the liquor store. Across from the store is a building marked Rivera.

Lunsford pointed out there is a curved streetlight with signs at Carron Drive and Rosemead Boulevard that looks similar. Also across from Mr. Ed's Liquor is a home for seniors, although the name is different.

"If you stand on Carron facing the liquor store on the north, you would be looking at the crime scene photo," Lunsford said.

Garcia's attorney, Robert Guaderrama, declined Thursday to comment on the verdict.

Juarez's stepfather is Gilbert Paul De La Rosa, and his stepgrandfather was the late Gilbert De La Rosa, who served as mayor of Pico Rivera.

Gilbert Paul De la Rosa thinks the jury did the right thing.

"Everything pointed to him. He had no defense," De La Rosa said.

But he doesn't hate Garcia. He said he feels sorry for Garcia and prays for him.

"I got together with his family and told them we have nothing against them," De La Rosa said.

He couldn't believe it when he was told about the tattoo.

"This goes to show you some people don't care," he said.

Juarez was standing by the payphones outside the liquor store the night of Jan. 23, 2004, when two men walked up to him. He was asked where he was from and then shot several times. The shooters ran to a waiting pickup truck which took off.

The case remained unsolved until 2008.

Sheriff's Homicide Sgt. Kevin Lloyd was looking through photos of gang member tattoos on August 2008 when he saw the unusual tattoo emblazoned on Garcia's chest.

It reminded him of a 2004 shooting in Pico Rivera when he was a sergeant there. His hunch proved right.

A deputy from the station's graffiti team had taken the picture of Garcia with his tattoos on March 28, 2008, when he was arrested by the CHP for driving on a suspended license, according to Capt. Mike Parker.

Garcia was arrested Oct. 16, 2008, in La Habra, where he was staying with relatives.

At the Norwalk sheriff's station jail, he was placed in a cell with two undercover detectives posing as older gang members. Their conversation, which was taped, was later played at Garcia's trial. He admitted walking up to Juarez, asking him where he was from and shooting him.

The second shooter hasn't been charged yet. But the getaway driver, 28-year-old Robert Armijo of Pico Rivera, pleaded guilty to assault with a firearm and voluntary manslaughter. He faces 20 years in prison at his May 3 sentencing in Norwalk Court.

Armijo identified Garcia as one of the shooters while another Rivera 13 gang member, Manuel Jaramillo, said Garcia told him he shot a Pico Nuevo gang member he knew as "Ghost."

Juarez was Jaramillo's cousin, something Garcia apparently didn't know.

The defense pointed out Jaramillo was asked by his grandfather, the former mayor, if he was involved in the shooting.