4 Men Plead Not Guilty To Deadly El Monte Firebombing
EL MONTE (CBSLA.com/AP) — Four men pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a firebombing that killed three teenagers at an El Monte tire shop in April.
Roberto Fuentes, Mario Godina, Estevan Castillo and German Monrreal entered pleas Thursday to arson, murder with special circumstances and use of an explosive device.
Prosecutors haven't decided whether to seek the death penalty.
Authorities say the men hurled Molotov cocktails into Cheque Tires in South El Monte, where teens had gathered for a birthday celebration. The resulting fire killed 18-year-old Destiny Aguirre of Azusa; 17-year-old Rodrigo Gonzalez of La Puente, and 17-year-old Christopher Jimenez of El Monte. A firefighter also suffered second degree while trying to break down a fence to help a victim.
Investigators have said the defendants attended the party, left after some kind of dispute but then returned.
However, they haven't released a specific motive for the attack.
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