BRIEFLY COSTCO SHOOTER GUILTY OF MURDER.

A jury Friday convicted one of two brothers charged with murder in a shootout outside a Van Nuys Costco store last year that left a man dead and two people seriously wounded in an attack on an armored car guard.

The Van Nuys Superior Court jury deliberated about a half-day before finding Ignacio Cervantes Chavez, 48, guilty of first-degree murder and the special circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of a robbery. He also was convicted of four counts of attempted murder and one count of attempted robbery.

He is expected to be sentenced Nov. 16 to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

- City News Service

Bag with 2 horse heads discovered

BEL-AIR - A plastic bag containing two horse heads was discovered Friday morning under a bench in front of a house in the 10000 block of Sunset Boulevard, said LAPD Officer Don Cox.

Los Angeles police called refuse workers to collect the bag, and are investigating the incident as an illegal dumping case, he said.

- Daily News

Port security zone will stay until May

SAN PEDRO - A security zone will be in effect around cruise ships in the Port of Los Angeles and those anchored at Catalina Island until May 1, the U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday.

Boats and individuals must stay at least 100 yards from a cruise ship in the port or while it is anchored at Catalina Island.

- City News Service

Sepulveda Tunnel lanes to be closed

Traffic lanes in the Sepulveda Tunnel, adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport, will be partially closed in both directions at night from Sunday through Thursday for construction work, officials said.

One lane in each direction will be closed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. and a second additional lane will be closed from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

- City News Service

Armed duo take over IHOP eatery

NORTHRIDGE - Two armed robbers took over the IHOP Restaurant on Reseda Boulevard near Nordhoff Street on Friday night, taking purses and wallets from patrons and then locking them in a back room, police said.

Police think the two men then continued down Reseda to Ventura Boulevard, where they robbed someone on the street at gunpoint less than an hour after the IHOP robbery, said LAPD Sgt. John Armour.

It didn't appear that any of the patrons was injured, he said.

- Daily News