Trio May Face Death Penalty After Gunman ‘Flipped Out’

VAN NUYS — Prosecutors filed death penalty murder charges Tuesday against three people accused of robbing a Denny’s restaurant in Reseda and fatally shooting the manager when the gunman, in his words, “flipped out.”

Ruben Lopez, 20, and Grizelda Salazar, 18, both of Canoga Park, and Samuel Martinez, 18, of Reseda are expected to be arraigned today in Van Nuys Municipal Court, Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Cohen said.

A fourth suspect, a 16-year-old Canoga Park girl, was released from custody Tuesday after prosecutors declined to charge her with the killing.

Cyrus Salehi, 38, was killed when Lopez, brandishing a semi-automatic pistol, demanded that he open the cash register during a late-night holdup earlier this month, Los Angeles Police Det. Rick Swanston said. The newlywed manager did as he was told, but Lopez shot him at point-blank range anyway, then fled to a waiting car containing the other suspects, police said.

Swanston said that Lopez admitted to the shooting and when asked why he killed Salehi responded: “I flipped out.”

Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard Taklendar said prosecutors did not charge the 16-year-old because “there just isn’t enough evidence that she had knowledge” of the robbery and killing.

Cohen said Lopez and Martinez--who police say are known gang members--and Salazar face the death penalty because the killing occurred during a robbery. He said that after Lopez shot Salehi he told his friends of the shooting, and Martinez hid the pistol and tried to alter the weapon’s serial number.