LOS FELIZ—California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction of Rayshon Moody. He was convicted of first-degree murder on Oct. 29, 2018, and sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole In February, 2019. 

Moody was accused of shooting and killing Mizu Rahman, 34, at a Chevron gas station in Los Feliz on Jan. 17, 2017, and Ovik Oganesyan, 50, at a medical marijuana dispensary the next day. 

Jurors also found Moody guilty of three counts of second-degree robbery involving the two murder victims and a separate robbery at a fast-food restaurant shortly before the gas station shooting. 

In their ruling, the appellate court justices found that “the videos clearly showed Moody committing robberies and murders.”

A soda cup lid found at the scene of Rahman’s killing contained DNA evidence linking Moody to the scene, as well as on a 9mm Beretta — the weapon used in the murder and found inside Moody’s car during his arrest. 

Moody had been arrested previously by the Glendale Police Department in 2014 for possession of methamphetamine which at the time was still a felony, requiring him to submit a DNA sample to the Department of Justice.

Video surveillance from the marijuana dispensary shooting scene showed Moody’s driver’s license falling from his hands. 

James A. Eastland was indicted with Moody for Oganesyan’s killing. Eastland pleaded guilty to murder and robbery charges involving that killing, along with a separate robbery. He was sentenced in September to 40 years to life in state prison.

Eastland said he and Moody initially drove to Las Vegas, before coming back to Southern California on Jan. 20. They were pulled over by police and Moody was arrested. Eastland, who initially had no evidence tying him to the crime was released. 

A police investigation later determined Eastland’s involvement; he confessed to his involvement in the incidents, according to the police. 

Moody’s attorney His Kim urged jurors to consider Eastland’s testimony linking Moody to Oganesyan’s killing. Kim said Eastland had acknowledged lying to detectives in the past and was “receiving a benefit for testifying.”

“Someone who’s motivated in that manner can’t be trusted,” Kim told jurors.

Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman told jurors there was a “mountain of evidence in this case.”

The prosecutor argued that no mercy was shown to the victims, and characterized the shooting as acts of “gratuitous” violence.