2 Suspects In Northridge Murders Appear In Court On Unrelated Charges
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Two suspects sought in the killing of four people outside of a Northridge boarding facility have been extradited from Las Vegas to the Southland.
Ka Pasasouk, the accused gunman, was ordered Wednesday in a downtown court to remain jailed without bail pending a Jan. 30 arraignment for a parole violation.
The 31-year-old also appeared in a Van Nuys courtroom for a probation violation hearing for a pre-existing drug case.
During that appearance, he was ordered to return to court Feb. 6 when a date for a hearing to determine if he violated probation will be set.
Accomplice Howard Ledesma Alcantara, 30, appeared around 1:30 p.m. in San Fernando Superior Court for an arraignment on a September robbery case, in addition to assault with a deadly weapon charge.
Both of Wednesday's court cases were not in relation to the Northridge murders, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office said.
Pasasouk, and his three accomplices — Alcantara, Christina Neal and Donna Rabulan — are believed to be responsible for the murders of two men and two women outside of a San Fernando Valley home in the 17000 block of Devonshire Street on Dec. 2, according to police.
KNX 1070's Margaret Carrero reports authorities believe the murders were connected to a dispute over property, although motive is still under investigation.
Podcast
The four suspects were arrested at the Silverton Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas less than 24 hours after the murders. No charges have been filed in the murders.
Rabulan remains in custody in Nevada while Neal is no longer jailed.
Pasasouk had multiple convictions dating back to 2004 and was in violation of his probation at the time of the killings.
He had been released from prison in January under California's early release program for those jailed for non-violent, non-serious or non-sexual related offenses.
Authorities said he repeatedly failed to check in with a county probation officer as he was ordered to.
He was arrested in September on suspicion of methamphetamine possession, which he pleaded no contest to.
Despite the county probation department's push to put have Pasasouk serve jail time, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge only sentenced him to the drug program because no weapons were involved.
On Nov. 14, the suspect violated probation by failing to show proof he had enrolled in a program at a follow-up hearing he was late to.
A warrant for his arrest was in the works at the time of the shooting, according to authorities.
RELATED STORIES:
LA County DA's Office Accepts Blame For Not Locking Up Alleged Northridge Murderer
LAPD: 4 Arrests Made In Shooting That Killed 4 Outside Northridge Home
4 People Found Fatally Shot In Front Of Northridge Home
