Man charged in 2015 South L.A. shooting; police say victim was mistaken for a gang member

A combination of witness statements and surveillance video led detectives last month to a suspect in the 2015 shooting death of a 24-year-old man in Vermont-Slauson, police said.

Weldon Bedford, a 39-year-old black man, was arrested Nov. 7 on suspicion of murder at his home, according to online records and police.

Bedford has since been charged with one count of murder, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. Bedford has yet to enter a plea and has a hearing scheduled for Feb. 2 at the Clara Shortridge Foltz courthouse in downtown Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Police Det. Chris Barling said Bedford was connected to the Oct. 30, 2015, killing of Cedric Horne through a black pickup truck and witness statements. Police think Horne was mistaken for a rival gang member.

Horne was performing landscaping work in front of a home in the 900 block of West 68th Street when he was shot by a man who got into a black pickup truck. Horne was not connected to gangs.

Anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (323) 786-5113. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

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