3 CHARGED IN SLAYING OF DOCTOR.Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO Staff Writer LANCASTER -- Three men were charged Tuesday in the slaying of a retired plastic surgeon plastic surgeon A surgeon specialized in reconstruction or cosmetic enhancement of various body regions, most commonly the face–nose, chin, and cheeks, breasts and buttocks; PSs remove fat deposits through liposuction; PSs reduce scarring or disfigurement who was shot last year with a high-powered rifle while he was feeding livestock at his ranch near Lancaster. One of the three men, 56-year-old Nicolas Cordoba cor·do·ba n. See Table at currency. [American Spanish córdoba, after Francisco Fernández de Córdoba (1475?-1526?), Spanish explorer.] Noun 1. , had worked for several years for Dr. Esfandiar "Steve" Kadivar as a ranch caretaker and took over ranch operations after the doctor's death. Cordoba then brought in a partner, Efrain Martines, 47, but the two had a falling out and Cordoba arranged to have Martines killed in April this year, prosecutors said. "Cordoba is the mastermind behind the whole thing," Deputy District Attorney Michael Blake said. Accused of murder in the July 5, 2006, death of Kadivar were Cordoba; Antonio Martinez, 44, who lived west of the ranch; and Arturo Rosales Verdin, 40, of the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Those three and a fourth man -- Marco Garcia, 31, of the San Fernando Valley -- are charged with killing Martines on April 28 this year. The four defendants were being held without bail pending arraignment A criminal proceeding at which the defendant is officially called before a court of competent jurisdiction, informed of the offense charged in the complaint, information, indictment, or other charging document, and asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or as otherwise permitted Thursday. The slaying of Kandivar, 64, at his sprawling 160-acre ranch baffled friends, who described him as a diligent doctor with no apparent enemies. He had grown up on a farm in Iran, and at his Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley ranch, about 15 miles west of Lancaster, he quietly raised cattle, goats, alfalfa alfalfa (ălfăl`fə) or lucern (l  sûn`), perennial leguminous plant (Medicago sativa and pistachios.
Kadivar lived in the Antelope Valley for more than 30 years. He worked at Antelope Valley Hospital for 27 years before retiring in 2003. He also had offices in Palmdale and Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. , where he lived with his wife. Prosecutors said Cordoba arranged for Martinez and Verdin to drive to the ranch on the afternoon the doctor was killed. Prosecutors claim Martinez and Verdin found the doctor alone, feeding his animals, and fatally shot him with a high-powered rifle. After the doctor's death, Cordoba ran the ranch and persuaded Martines to buy in as a partner, investigators said. But after a falling out with Martines early in 2007, Cordoba promised to pay Garcia several thousand dollars if he, Martinez and Verdin would kill Martines, prosecutors said. Garcia shot Martines with an assault rifle assault rifle Military firearm that is chambered for ammunition of reduced size or propellant charge and has the capacity to switch between semiautomatic and fully automatic fire. while Martines was working at the ranch, Blake said. Blake said Martinez and Verdin helped remove the body. Martines' body was found several miles away in a remote area near a road. karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com (661) 476-4586 |
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