DISPUTE LEAVES 1 DEAD, 1 JAILED CAUSE OF SLAYING UNDER INVESTIGATION.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

LANCASTER - An argument between roommates escalated into gunfire, leaving one man dead and another in jail, sheriff's deputies said Friday.

Leonard Garcia, 39, was shot once in the chest in a house shared by two families in the 45000 block of Logue Court. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

``The victim and the suspect got into an argument when the suspect pulled out a gun and fired,'' said Deputy Scott Butler of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Headquarters Bureau.

Edwin Gonzalez, 29, is being held in lieu of $1 million bail on suspicion of murder.

Officials said the argument began earlier in the day but escalated into a screaming match just before 10 p.m., when Garcia was shot. Investigators said they are still trying to determine what the pair were arguing about and spent Friday questioning Gonzalez.

Gonzalez was arrested at the home without incident and taken to the Lancaster sheriff's station's jail.

Neighbors said the pair were known to fight.

``They fight all the time,'' said Angel Garcia, 22, whose family lives a few houses down the street from the pair. ``Sometimes they yell at each other in their yard or the street. One of the guys even chased the other guy down the street throwing stuff at his car a couple days ago. It's just all the ... time.''

Garcia said she heard the gunshot Thursday night but was afraid to look outside to see what happened.