LA police: 4 arrests in killings of 4 outside home

Los Angeles, Dec 13 : A man accused of gunning down four people outside an overcrowded, unlicensed boarding house in Los Angeles was arrested at a Las Vegas casino-hotel along with three alleged accomplices, police said.

The four suspects were found at the Silverton Hotel and Casino less than 24 hours after the slayings and were arrested without incident.

After a request for assistance from Los Angeles police and the FBI, Las Vegas police learned that the suspects were driving a black Audi with no license plates, located the car at the hotel, and watched the suspects through the night until arrest warrants were issued.

Ka Pasasouk, 31, was arrested for investigation of murder, while three others were accused of being accessories to murder, committing robbery, or both, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said at a news conference.

Police said the victims, whose identities have not been released, were visiting friends at a large house in Northridge when they were confronted and fatally shot shortly before 4:30 a.m.

Detectives were met with a "very grisly tableau" when they found the victims on a front lawn, Beck said. Three of the bodies were found face-down.

Those killed were two women in their mid-20s, a man in his mid-30s and another man in his late 40s, police said.

The suspects will be extradited to Los Angeles in the next couple of days, Beck said.

Glendale resident Howard Alcantara, 30, has been booked for investigation of robbery and aiding a felon. Donna Rabulan, 30, of Los Angeles was arrested for investigation of aiding a felon, and Christina Neal, 31, of Los Angeles was taken into custody for investigation of aiding a felon.

Beck declined to take questions at the conclusion of the news conference, or provide further details about a motive, the suspects or victims, saying the investigation remains active.

City Councilman Mitchell Englander, who represents the area, toured the house and said it was split into units for rent, including makeshift living spaces in the backyard.

He said it appeared to be operating as an unlicensed boarding house with at least a dozen and as many as 17 people living amid old food, trash, mattresses and animal waste. Englander called the living conditions deplorable.

"This is one of the worst and heinous crimes we've seen in our community," Englander said. "This is a community that once again will come together and never forget what happened at this location."

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