Anthony Lemus Charged In Killing Of Rite Aid Employee Miguel Penaloza
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A 20-year-old man was charged Wednesday in the slaying of a 36-year-old Rite-Aid employee in the Northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Glassell Park earlier this month.
Anthony Lemus is set to be arraigned Aug. 26 in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on one count each of murder and second-degree robbery involving the killing of 36-year-old Miguel Penaloza.
The charges include allegations that Lemus personally used a handgun in the commission of the crime.
Lemus surrendered at about 7:45 p.m. Monday, Los Angeles police confirmed to CBSLA. He was booked on suspicion of murder.
A second suspect was still being sought, police said.
On the night of July 14, Penaloza was shot and killed while trying to stop two shoplifting suspects from escaping a Rite-Aid store on Eagle Rock Boulevard. According to the LAPD, Penaloza confronted two suspects who grabbed two cases of beer and tried to leave without paying.
Investigators say he struggled with the shoplifters briefly before one of them produced a gun and shot and killed him. Penaloza had given his two-week notice and was working his last shift at the store on the night of the incident.
It's unclear if police suspect Lemus to be the shooter. Police said the two suspects were captured on security video. Both were described as Hispanic men between the ages of 18 and 20.
Lemus is being held on $2 million bail.