Man Found Guilty of Killing Woman in Mall Parking Lot
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A Van Nuys Superior Court jury on Tuesday convicted a Canoga Park man of first-degree murder for shooting to death a shopper in the Topanga Plaza mall parking lot.
Emelito Halili Exmundo, 29, faces a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole when he is sentenced Jan. 30 by Judge Darlene Schempp.
Camille Gibbs, 45, a Canoga Park insurance claims adjuster who was buying a wedding gift at the mall, died at the scene on March 29 as Exmundo raced away in her Corvette, witnesses testified at the monthlong trial.
Jurors deliberated for less than one day before convicting the former Navy veteran of robbing and murdering Gibbs and also robbing a Chatsworth liquor store less than three hours later.
Exmundo was apprehended when the store’s owner, John Olden, wrested away his pistol, wounding Exmundo in the leg in the process.
Olden and his wife, Charlyne, testified that they finally subdued Exmundo by hitting him on the head with liquor bottles.
Gibbs had been scheduled to graduate from Cal State Dominguez Hills in May after attending classes part time for two years.
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