2 Gang Members Found Guilty in Lake View Terrace Shooting

After seven days of deliberations, a San Fernando Superior Court jury convicted two men of attempted murder in what authorities said was a gang-related drive-by shooting last year.

Dennis Elliot, 24, of Pacoima, and Jeffrey Evans, 24, of Lake View Terrace, were found guilty of firing at Cedric Finley, 20, of Pacoima in May, 1988. Finley, who Deputy Dist. Atty. Edward Nison said was a member of a rival gang, escaped uninjured in the Lake View Terrace shooting.

The jury found Elliot not guilty in the murder of a Sylmar man shot to death 45 minutes later in an unrelated incident. The victim, John Shaw, 23, was chaperoning a Sweet 16 party.

Evans and another man, John Tanner, 23, of Lake View Terrace, had been convicted of murder in Shaw’s death Wednesday by the same jury.

During an eight-week trial, prosecutor Nison argued that Tanner and Evans approached Shaw as he stood with other guests in front of a house in the 14900 block of Aztec Street in Sylmar. Evans inquired whether the party-goers were affiliated with a gang and Shaw, who was supervising the party, replied that he was not, Nison said.

After Tanner and Evans identified themselves as gang members, Shaw responded, “so what,” according to Nison. Tanner then fired several shots, one of which hit Shaw in the back. Elliot was charged in that slaying because he drove Tanner and Evans to the party and was present during the confrontation, Nison said.

Sentencing for Tanner, Evans and Elliot is set for Aug. 11. Tanner and Evans face a maximum sentence of life in prison. Elliot faces a maximum of 15 years.