Men charged in South L.A. shootings that left two dead

Two men have been charged in two killings that occurred three days apart in January, authorities said.

Daniel Givens, a 25-year-old black man, and Johnny Sexton, a 56-year-old black man, were each taken into police custody April 21, according to online jail records.

A combination of physical evidence and witness statements led police to the two suspects, said Los Angeles Police Det. Chris Barling. The killings are believed to be gang- and narcotics-related, Barling said.

Givens and Sexton each face two counts of murder and one count of attempted second-degree robbery, according to a spokesman with the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

The two are scheduled to be arraigned May 11. Givens also faces a weapon enhancement.

Barling declined to say how Givens and Sexton were involved in each killing.

On Jan. 6, Rashei Martinez, 22, was shot in the 4700 block of 10th Avenue in Hyde Park, police previously told The Times. Two days later, Michael Paul Lattimore, 41, was sitting in the driver’s seat of a black Honda Accord when two gunmen walked up and opened fire, police said.

A warrant is out for a third suspect, Roland Givens. He has been charged in Lattimore's killing.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @nicolesantacruz and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.