LANCASTER – A man who told deputies he accidentally shot a woman to death inside a Lancaster smoke shop this past weekend has been charged with murder.
Samy Ali Mahmoud was charged with one count of murder Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
Mahmoud appeared in an Antelope Valley courtroom, but did not enter a plea. His arraignment was postponed and his bail was raised to $2 million, according to the district attorney’s office.
Mahmoud had been jailed on $1 million bail since Monday morning, when he was arrested in connection with the shooting death of 23-year-old Reyna Araceli Gutierrez.
Gutierrez was shot in the chest with a shotgun on Sunday, Jan. 27 inside the Smoke Shack, at 137 East Avenue J in Lancaster, sheriff’s officials said.
Gutierrez had been in a back room cleaning around 4 p.m. when Mahmoud, who worked at the store, came into the room and began handling the store owner’s shotgun, according to Sheriff’s Homicide Lt. Eddie Hernandez.
“He was saying that the shotgun fell and discharged, striking the female in the chest,” Hernandez said previously.
Gutierrez was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. Several employees and customers were in the store at the time of the incident, officials said.
There were surveillance cameras inside the store, but the cameras did not capture the incident, according to media reports.
Detectives questioned Mahmoud for several hours, before he was arrested around 2:10 a.m. Monday.
Mahmoud is due back in court on Thursday, February 14 for arraignment, according to the district attorney’s office.
UPDATE: Samy Mahmoud appeared in court on Feb. 14, but did not enter a plea. Instead his arraignment was postponed until Thursday, March 7, 2013.
Related articles:
Suspect arrested in Smoke Shack shooting death
BREAKING NEWS: Woman shot to death in Lancaster
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Erin says
You will be missed, we loved you girl, I hope he gets what he deserves.. She was a good person and a huge heart..dje
sanadia says
Sad that this young lady died so young. I am suspicious regarding her being in the back of the store as if hiding out with her killer. It makes me wonder why the gun was not secured by the store owner. The killer must be guilty of her murder or else he’d be free and no in jail with such a high bail.
Another crime ridden corner in Lancaster.
miffed says
Something stinks here and I think they have caught her killer. God rest her soul.
Heartbroken says
Reyna was a beautiful soul…
Hopefully the truth is revealed of this horrible incident.
A million blessings to her family during this hard time!!
April says
It is sad that there is no memorial whatsoever so there. I passed by and it seemed like business as usual. How horrible.
Heartbroken says
Where the business fails her friends are making up…
There will be a candle light vigil for her on Friday at 6pm.
VWFish says
where will this be held?
It seems to smell fishy that the news and LASD are not releasing very much details and facts….IF it were a true accident it would not be a Murder charge AND a Bail Increase…..
Heartbroken says
On Ave J & Division St
:)
We still don’t know it all but… Well… It stinks either way
j says
the vigil is actually on thursday at 5pm
Heartbroken says
The vigil the smoke shop is holding is on Thursday that is correct
Her family & friends want to hold one too on Friday :)