'Gang Member' Charged With Killing Woman, Dumping Corpse During Police Chase, Pleads Not Guilty

Murder and felony evading charges were filed today against an alleged gang member suspected of shooting a woman to death, then shoving her body from a car as he led sheriff's deputies on a chase last week.

Juan Diego Valencia, 30, is accused of fatally shooting Selene Mayoral and pushing her body from a green Mercury Cougar at the intersection of Josephine Street and Harris Avenue in Lynwood after sheriff's deputies tried to stop him for a traffic violation.

The 24-year-old woman -- who had been shot once -- died at the scene. Valencia was arrested about 1:50 a.m. Friday after barricading himself inside an apartment complex in the 14000 block of Chadron Avenue in Hawthorne, authorities said.

He pleaded not guilty this afternoon in Compton Superior Court to one count each of murder and evading an officer with willful disregard and remains jailed on $2.05 million bail while awaiting his next court date Oct. 2.

From City News Service

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