RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- A murder trial opened today for an alleged Ontario gang member accused of gunning down a fellow gang member two years ago on an Upland residential street.
Daniel Vera, 23, is accused of killing Manuel Jesus Vega, 29, on Jan. 13, 2009 in the 300 block of Stillman Avenue in front of an apartment complex where Vega's mother lived.
Vega had been "green-lighted" for execution by his gang, Deputy District Attorney Carlo DiCesare told jurors during his opening statement in West Valley Superior Court.
"This is a gang hit," DiCesare said. "Members of the same gang hit each other just like they hit rival gangs."
Three witnesses saw a man matching Vera's description with Vega at the time of the shooting, DiCesare said.
Clothing found by police in Vera's bedroom matched the attire that witnesses said was worn by the shooter, DiCesare said.
Investigators also found distinctive particles on Vera's clothing that indicate he had been close to a fired gun, DiCesare said.
Vera's attorney, Joe Borges, told the jury that Vera didn't kill Vega. It's impossible, he said, because at the time Vera was at the Ontario Mills mall, about eight miles from where Vega was killed.
Borges showed jurors a still image from a mall security camera that he said pictured Vera with two friends. The image was time-stamped 5:35 p.m., which is about 25 minutes before the shooting.
"My client was simply not there and did not do this," Borges said.
After attorneys completed their opening statements, jurors heard testimony from a man who lived across the street from where Vega was shot.
The witness, whose name is withheld for fear of gang retaliation, said that 5 to 10 minutes prior to the shooting he saw Vega and Vera together near a sidewalk.
The witness said he and Vera locked eyes for several seconds.
He said he'd seen Vera with Vega in the past, and recalled that Vera had a large tattoo across the back of his neck that said "Onterio," which is an intentional misspelling used by Ontario gangs.
His recollection of the distinctive tattoo assisted detectives in identifying Vera as Vega's suspected shooter.
During his testimony, the man looked at Vera and said he was "100 percent sure" he saw the same man with Vega shortly before the shooting.