Hermilo Talamantez III, 34

Hermilo Talamantez III, 34, a Latino man, was shot in the 3500 block of Arlington Street in Val Verde at about 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, during a dispute between neighbors, the second killing in a matter of days in this community near Castaic and Santa Clarita.

According to sheriff's homicide Det. Martin Rodriguez, Talamantez quarreled with neighbor and longtime acquaintance Clarence Pullum, 38, a black man, and the quarrel escalated into a skirmish of some kind. Both men then retreated into their houses and emerged with guns. Pullum got off a shot before Talamantez did, and struck his opponent once. Talamantez was taken to Henry Mayo hospital, where he died. Pullum was arrested, then released pending further investigation. Prosecutors are expected to weigh whether to file charges this week.

Both men had deep roots in this small, isolated rural community, and had known each other since childhood, Rodriguez said. Their argument was in no way racial, Rodriguez said--it was personal, seemingly minor, and obscure. It had something to do with an earlier conflict which one of the men had had with a brother-in-law of the other, he said.