Ex-boyfriend charged in campus killing

SOUTH GATE - The 18-year-old ex-boyfriend of a teenage girl stabbed to death on a high school campus late last week was charged Monday with murder and other crimes.Abraham Lopez, of South Gate, was charged with 10 felony counts - one count each of murder and false imprisonment by violence; two counts of weapons on school grounds; and three counts each of assault with a deadly weapon, and assault upon a peace officer. Lopez was arraigned Tuesday in Downey Superior Court. The complaint alleges that Lopez used a deadly and dangerous weapon to kill 17-year-old Cindi Santana, of South Gate, on Sept. 30. Los Angeles County Sheriff's investigators said Santana was stabbed multiple times following an argument. A student and school dean who attempted to intervene also were injured. The stabbing took place at South East High School in South Gate, where Lopez and Santana were students. Lopez faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole if convicted as charged. Prosecutors recommended bail be set at $1.28 million.

********** Published: October 06, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 25