By Brett Callwood
On Thursday, September 19, a jury found Selvin Fabian Salazar guilty of the murder of three people and injuring two others in shootings that took place in Gardena and Lynwood.
Salazar was convicted on all three counts of murder and two of attempted murder, for the crimes which took place in 2018.
According to a CBS News report, Salazar shot and wounded his pregnant ex-girlfriend. “He has also been convicted of felony charges of intimidation of a witness, carjacking and possession of a firearm by a felon along with special allegations of multiple murders and a sentencing enhancement of use of force, according to the LA County District Attorney’s Office.”
Now that Salazar has been found guilty, the next step is sentencing and that will take place on October 23 in the Torrance Courthouse. “Prosecutors said he is expected to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole,” read the report.
The crimes took place on July 31, 2018, when Salazar opened fire at a mobile home park in Gardena. That resulted in the death of 28-year-old Dolores Sanchez “as she sat in the driver’s seat of a vehicle.”
Salazar then shot and wounded his pregnant ex-girlfriend and Saith Pedraza, the latter a passenger in the vehicle. Two years later, Pedraza would die from his wounds.
He then forced a married couple to drive him to Lynwood. Upon arrival, Salazar shot and killed the husband and driver, Francisco Montes, 29, of Gardena. He tried to shoot Montes’ wife but his gun jammed.
“The conviction of Mr. Salazar in separate shootings in Gardena and Lynwood that resulted in the untimely deaths of Dolores Sanchez, Saith Pedraza, and Francisco Montes, and the attempted murder of two others, brings a measure of justice to a devastating situation,” said District Attorney Gascón in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families, who have endured such imaginable pain and loss. No verdict can ever fully heal the wounds caused by such senseless violence, but we hope the case’s outcome provides some solace and a sense of closure.”
The statement from the District attorney’s office elaborates that, “Selvin Fabian Salazar (DOB 9/7/92) was found guilty in case YA097896 of three counts of murder; two counts of attempted murder; one felony count of intimidation of a witness; one felony count of carjacking; and one felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The jury also found true the special circumstances of multiple murders and a sentencing enhancement of use of force.”
“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the dedicated prosecutors and law enforcement investigators who worked to bring this case to justice. Their commitment and hard work ensured that Mr. Salazar was held accountable for these heinous crimes,” DA Gascón added.
