West Hollywood News
Deputy Is Suspect In Fatal Shooting
By Jennifer Alcaraz
Nov 15, 2012 - 8:22:31 PM

WEST HOLLYWOOD—Deputy Francisco Gamez, a 17-year veteran from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs’s Department, was arrested on Wednesday November 14. He is being held as suspect in the murder of a Sylmar resident. 

Armando Casillas

He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder, murder and use of a firearm during the commission of an offense related to the June 17 shooting in which Armando Casillas was killed. Gamez was also booked into the 77th Street Community Police Station with a $4 million bail. He was suspended on Thursday, November 15 and according to the authorities his termination is possible.

Gamez, 41, had been assigned to the West Hollywood Station since 2005. On the day of the incident, the Mission Community Police Station had been notified by residents near the 14000 block of Beaver Street, where Casillas had been wounded. He was hospitalized and pronounced dead in Providence Holy Cross Medical Center.

The Los Angeles Police Department began an investigation in which they concluded that it was possible that a sheriff’s deputy was the main suspect. It is believed that the shooting was instigated by a verbal dispute that escalated into the fatal incident.

The Los Angeles Police Department is asking anyone with information on the case to contact police detectives Louis Zorrilla or Maria Perez at (213) 486-6890.