3rd Charged in Murder of Man Protecting His Grandfather During Robbery

VAN NUYS - A third man was charged today with capital murder in the shooting death of a 24-year-old man who came to his grandfather's aid during a robbery last month.

Edwin Alexander Bonilla, 27, was scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Van Nuys Superior Court on charges stemming from the Jan. 9 shooting death of Danilo Estuardo Morales.

Bonilla is charged with one count each of murder, attempted murder, assault with a firearm and second-degree robbery. The murder charge includes the special circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of a robbery.

Co-defendants Evin Adonis Ortiz, 22, of Valley Glen, and Rene Ramirez, 29, of Mission Hills, were charged Jan. 17 with the same crimes.

Ramirez, the alleged gunman, also is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.

Prosecutors will decide later whether to seek the death penalty against the three.

Morales' 68-year-old grandfather was robbed in the driveway of a home in the 8100 block of Coldwater Canyon Avenue, one block north of Strathern Street, about 6:45 p.m. on Jan. 9.

Manuel Flores had driven down the long driveway and parked his car behind a relative's home, as was his habit, when he was set upon by three robbers, said Sgt. Marc LaMont of the Los Angeles Police Department's North Hollywood Station.

The grandfather screamed for help as the robbers fled with his wallet and jewelry, prompting his grandson to rush outside and chase after the three as they jumped into a white, mid-sized sport utility vehicle, LaMont said.

One of the trio fired on the grandson during the getaway, killing him with a gunshot wound to the head on Willard Street, just west of Coldwater Canyon Avenue. The grandfather was not injured.

Police recovered the suspected getaway vehicle, a 1997-1999 white Mitsubishi Montero with a broken rear window and a long rear reflector light, according to LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith.

(City News Service)