He had expressed remorse about the shootings from the outset, and claimed that he was surprised when he ventured outside and saw how close the men were to him.
Ballistics tests suggested that at least one of the men had been shot in the back, raising questions about Horn's story.
But a plainclothes detective who witnessed some of what took place later told investigators that the men did not stop when a visibly nervous Horn pointed a shotgun in their direction, and that at least one man appeared to be moving toward Horn when Horn fired.
Lambright, a friend of Horn's for four decades, said he found it hard to reconcile the shooter with the man he knew. He defended Horn's right to step out his door and confront the suspects, but added that he hoped other neighbors would never find themselves in Horn's shoes.
"He is absolutely not the person you hear on that 911 tape," Lambright said of Horn. "Joe is quiet, humble."
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miguel.bustillo@latimes.com
