Murders Orange County

A federal grand jury has indicted a Costa Mesa man on murder, bank robbery, racketeering and assault charges in connection with a crime spree across California, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday. Authorities believe that Anh The Duong, 26, is the ringleader of a gang that netted as much as $7.8 million from robbing jewelry stores, computer component manufacturers, supermarkets and banks. He is accused of murdering seven people during robberies.

A former Newport Beach corporate lawyer has pleaded innocent to murder charges in the slaying of a client's wife. Hugh "Randy" McDonald, 52, entered the plea Friday. Prosecutors allege that McDonald faked his own suicide after the 1997 killing of Janie Pang and then lived as a fugitive. Investigators, however, have not offered a motive for the crime. Pang was married to Danny Pang, who had hired McDonald's law firm.

An arrest warrant was issued for a Costa Mesa youth who allegedly beat a 16-year-old girl to death and left her body along a hiking trail at Fairview Regional Park in Costa Mesa, police said Friday. Victor Garcia, 17, who is also known as Victor Manuel Garduno, fled after learning that police were looking for him, said Costa Mesa Police Det. Mike Cacho. Police allege that Garcia met Ceceline Godsoe of Costa Mesa at the park Sept. 20 and hit her on the head following an argument.

A gang member who pleaded guilty to firing his gun into a converted garage, killing a pregnant teenager and her unborn child, was sentenced Friday to 35 years to life in prison. Eduardo Yepez Guerrero, 20, avoided a sentence of life without parole by pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree murder. His random gunshot struck and killed Yuridia Balbuena, 15, who was seven months pregnant. Despite an emergency caesarean section, the fetus died.

A 16-year-old girl whose body was found on a hiking trail in a Costa Mesa park was beaten to death with a heavy object, a coroner's investigator said Saturday. An autopsy revealed that Ceceline Godsoe was hit in the head repeatedly with an unknown object and died as a result of blunt force trauma, authorities said. Her body was discovered about 2:30 a.m. Friday near the grassy edge of a cliff in Fairview Park, which overlooks the Santa Ana River.

A gang member who pleaded guilty to firing his gun into a converted garage, killing a pregnant teen and her unborn baby, was sentenced Friday to 35 years to life in prison. Eduardo Yepez Guerrero, 20, avoided a sentence of life without the possibility of parole by pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree murder. His random gunshot struck and killed Yuridia Balbuena, 15, who was seven months' pregnant. Despite an emergency caesarean section, her baby also died.

A 16-year-old Costa Mesa girl was found apparently bludgeoned to death early Friday near the edge of a grassy cliff in the city's Fairview Park, police said. The girl's body was found about 2:30 a.m. by a man who then called authorities, police said. Officers declined to identify the girl or the caller, or say why he was in the park at that hour. Police Sgt. Don Holford said the girl's body was found at the end of Pacific Avenue behind Estancia High School, near the Santa Ana River.

A 16-year-old Costa Mesa girl was found apparently bludgeoned to death early Friday near the edge of a grassy cliff in the city's Fairview Park, police said. The girl's body was found about 2:30 a.m. by a man who called authorities, police said. Officers declined to identify the girl, the caller or say why he was in the city park at that hour. Police Sgt.

From the outside, Costa Mesa's Magnolia Street seems like any neighborhood. Residents get along for the most part, squabbling on occasion but usually over traffic congestion or noise. But the tragic recent history of the quiet block distinguishes it. This is the street where the children died, Magnolia residents say. At that preschool. Across from that church. A man intentionally drove his car onto the playground, killing two toddlers and injuring five others.

A judge rejected requests Friday by Michael Goodwin's lawyer to remove Orange County Dist. Atty. Anthony Rackauckas and his office from a grand jury investigation into the deaths of racing legend Mickey Thompson and his wife. Goodwin, who investigators say is the prime suspect in the couple's deaths 13 years ago, also failed to get a gag order on grand jury witnesses who were dropped or to have authorities return copies of legal papers that were seized in a search of his home in June.