Charges: Gang member pleads not guilty to murder charges

Jan. 23, 2014, 7:49 a.m.

Robert Rubio, a 53-year-old Latino, pleaded not guilty this week to killing Monica Barbosa, a 54-year-old white woman, according to Los Angeles County district attorney officials.

Rubio was charged Tuesday with one count each of murder, attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a felon in the Dec. 17 walk-up shooting in Long Beach.

Rubio, described by prosecutors as a Hawaiian Gardens gang member, allegedly walked up to Barbosa and a male friend and shot them both in the 3500 block of Monica Avenue. The man survived the attack.

In a news release, the district attorney's office said Rubio had previously been convicted of numerous felonies including "robbery in 1984, battery in 1992, and manufacturing, selling, or possessing dangerous weapons in 2010."

Rubio is scheduled to appear in court at a Feb. 28 preliminary hearing in Long Beach. He is being held in county jail in lieu of $4 million bail.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz

Three reader comments

itsdark@90301,
The last time I went to the forum...was the last time I went to the forum. You are right that area is way too dangerous and I cannot imagine going to the form for anything! There isn't anyone that I want to see that badly that would make me drive in that area. On the way home from the forum all those years ago, my car was stopped in the middle of the street by these thugs. Thankfully the cops just happened to have turned down the street a few moments behind me. The cops stopped and I think that's what saved our lives. I am still so very thankful to the cops that were there that night. They really were our life savers that night. My son ended up becoming a law enforcement officer...not LAPD but still in California. To the officers that were there thank you so very much!! I got the see my kids grow up and my kids got a chance to grow up. I never drove in that area agian. I never even have come close to doing anything in that area again.

— Kassidy Jan. 27, 2014 at 6:53 p.m.

Our city of Inglewood has had many Homicides this week alone that is out of the ordinary. Even a double murder in the early am and by the time the scene was cleared and yellow crime scene tape removed only a few hours had passed and new tape less then a mile away was being put on another scene of a shooting. This is something that we have every right to be informed. Many children are out in the street and not aware of all the shootings that have occured and the danger they face by being outdoors. Sad to hear that our city government would rather not inform us of what's going on under our noses and feel the reason for this is not in our interest. Maybe if our City was making headline news for all the Murders that are taking place walking distance from the New Forum it might make a person think twice before attending a concert. I know that 120+million have been spent and a lot of investment has been made but who is the city representing? So far it seems to be the Corporations and special interest and not the Residents. Hope we remember this when it's election time.

— ItsDark@90301. Jan. 26, 2014 at 8:45 p.m.

The Homicide Report

Charges: Gang member pleads not guilty to murder charges

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Three reader comments