Prosecutors: Stolen drug money led 2 Marines to kill Camp Pendleton comrade

Prosecutors: Stolen drug money led 2 Marines to kill Camp Pendleton comrade

By CHELSEA J. CARTER , Associated Press

July 24, 2008

SAN DIEGO - Two Marines apparently killed one of their Camp Pendleton comrades in a dispute over stolen drug money, prosecutors said Thursday.

Lance Cpl. Christian William Carney and Pfc. Alvin Reed Lovely are scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Orange County Superior Court on charges related to the killing of Pfc. Stephen Serrano.

In a statement issued by the Orange County District Attorney's Office, prosecutors allege that Serrano and an unidentified Marine broke into Carney's room at the base on May 9 and stole drug money.

Prosecutors say Carney was dealing ectasy and cocaine on the base.

Four days later, another unidentified Marine told Carney that he had witnessed two men, including a mutual friend, breaking into Carney's room, prosecutors said. Later that day, Carney and Lovely allegedly met Serrano's alleged accomplice and drove him from the base to a secluded location in San Clemente. They put a gun to the Marine's head and threatened to shoot him if he didn't identify his alleged accomplice in the burglary.

The man identified Serrano, prosecutors said.

Carney and Lovely returned to the base and asked Serrano to meet them, according to prosecutors. The men drove Serrano to San Clemente, shot him once in the head and three times in the back, prosecutors said.

Carney, 21, and Lovely, 20, are charged with one count each of murder and making a criminal threat. They also face a sentencing enhancement for the personal discharge of a firearm. Carney also faces a charge of attempting to dissuade a witness.

Both have pleaded not guilty.

Carney, an Iraq war veteran from Suffolk, N.Y., is being held in the brig at Camp Pendleton on unrelated drug-dealing charges after posting $1 million bond for his release from the Orange County jail, Marine spokesman 1st Lt. Curtis Williamson said. He was to be transferred to Orange County for arraignment.

Lovely, of Dallas, is being held at the Orange County jail in lieu of $1 million bail. At the time of his arrest, he was listed by the Marines as being on unauthorized absence, a step before being declared a deserter, Williamson said.

The body of Serrano, 21, of Sacramento, was found May 15 by a jogger.

It was not clear whether Carney and Lovely had been assigned defense attorneys. A message left with the Orange County public defenders office was not immediately returned, and the Marine Corps did not make Carney available for comment.

All three Marines were assigned to the 1st Marine Division.

Ellie

2 Marines accused of killing another over drug money
Prosecutors say they were involved in drug sales at Camp Pendleton and killed Pvt. Stephen Serrano because they were told he stole from them. Both face murder charges.
By Tony Barboza
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

12:21 PM PDT, July 24, 2008

Two Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton will be arraigned Friday on charges of fatally shooting a fellow Marine over stolen drug money, authorities said today.

Lance Cpl. Christian Carney, 21, of Manorville, N.Y., and Pvt. Alvin Lovely, 20, of Dallas are accused of killing Pvt. Stephen Serrano, 20, of El Dorado, Calif., on May 13 because they believed he and an unidentified Marine had stolen money Carney had made selling cocaine and ecstasy on the base, according to the Orange County district attorney's office.

When Carney and Lovely found out the money had been taken, they drove the unidentified Marine to a secluded, hilly area of San Clemente, pointed a gun at his head and threatened to kill him if he didn't identify the thief, prosecutors said. Fearing for his life, the Marine told them Serrano did it, prosecutors said.

Later that day, authorities said, Carney and Lovely drove Serrano to the same hillside area and shot him once in the face and three times in the back before fleeing. A hiker discovered Serrano's body lying face down in a drainage ditch May 15.

The Orange County Grand Jury indicted both Carney and Lovely earlier this month on one felony count of murder and one felony count of criminal threats. Carney is also charged with attempting to dissuade a witness from testifying. Prosecutors said that after the killing, Carney told the unidentified Marine not to talk about what they had done to Serrano.

tony.barboza@latimes.com

Ellie

1 of 2 Marines accused in fellow Marine's slaying pleads not guilty
The second suspect is being held at Camp Pendleton on drug charges and will enter his plea later. Prosecutors say the two fatally shot Stephen Serrano, whose body was found in San Clemente in May.
By Tony Barboza
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

July 26, 2008

A Camp Pendleton Marine pleaded not guilty to murder charges today in connection with the fatal shooting of a fellow Marine in a dispute over stolen drug money, authorities said.

Pfc. Alvin Reed Lovely, 20, of Dallas, was one of two Marines charged with the May killing of Pfc. Stephen Serrano, 20, of Sacramento.

Lance Cpl. Christian Carney, 21, of Manorville, N.Y., is also charged with murder but did not enter a plea because he is being held at Camp Pendleton on drug charges, said Farrah Emami of the Orange County district attorney's office.

Each faces one felony count of murder, one felony count of criminal threats and a sentencing enhancement for the personal discharge of a firearm, according to court records. Carney also was indicted on one felony count of attempting to dissuade a witness.

A hiker discovered Serrano's body on May 15 lying face down in a drainage ditch in San Clemente.

Prosecutors believe Serrano was killed after he allegedly broke into Carney's room at the base and stole money he had made by selling dugs, including cocaine and Ecstasy.

Carney and Lovely got Serrano's name from an unidentified Marine by pointing a gun at his head and threatening to kill him if he didn't name the thief, prosecutors said. Fearing for his life, the Marine told them Serrano did it.

Carney and Lovely then drove Serrano to a hilly area of San Clemente and shot him once in the face and three times in the back, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said that after the killing, Carney instructed the Marine they had threatened earlier not to talk about what they had done to Serrano.

Lovely, who is being held at the Orange County Jail, is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 12 for a trial setting conference. Carney will enter a plea once his drug case at Camp Pendleton is completed.

tony.barboza@latimes.com

Ellie