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POMONA, Calif. – Two men have been charged with killing a 6-year-old boy who was shot as he played in the driveway of his Azusa home.
Los Angeles County prosecutors filed murder charges Tuesday against 21-year-old Richard Gomez, of Azusa, and Mathew Loza, 20, of West Covina. If convicted, they could face life in prison with chance of parole.
Both remain jailed on $1 million bail each.
Authorities say Jessie Valencia was shot last Friday as he played with a remote-controlled car.
Azusa police Lt. Mike Bertelsen says investigators believe Loza was at Gomez’s home across the street when he targeted the boy with a scoped rifle and shot him.
However, investigators are still trying to determine whether Loza knew the gun was loaded when he pulled the trigger.