Robert Justin Banes, 29

Robert Banes, a 29-year-old white man, was shot and killed Monday, March 30, in the 500 block of West 11th Street in San Pedro, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner's office, said Banes was standing outside about 10:30 a.m. when an unknown suspect exited a vehicle and shot him several times.

Banes was taken to a hospital in Torrance, where he died at 1:03 p.m., according to coroner’s records.

The incident was possibly gang-related, Winter said.

[Update April 26, 2010: The same day as the incident, authorities arrested Rufus Atchley, a 48-year-old white man, in connection with Robert Banes' death.

According to a spokesperson from the district attorney's office, Atchley was charged with one count of murder. At an arraignment on Jan. 21, he pleaded not guilty to the charge.

His case is going to trial with the next court appearance scheduled for May 20 at the Long Beach Superior Court.

Atchley is being held at the Twin Towers jail in downtown.

In January 1995, Atchley was convicted of burglary and sentenced to two years in prison. Ten months after his release, he was convicted of possession of a controlled substance and sentenced to a year and four months in prison. However, because of parole violations, he was in and out of incarceration for five years, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.]

-- Sarah Ardalani