4 Arrested in Robbery-Slaying

Four teen-agers have been arrested on suspicion of murder and robbery in connection with the shooting death Monday morning of a Redondo Beach gas station cashier.

The four, who are being held without bail in the slaying of Jesus Ezequiel Chavez and the robbery of the Arco station on Artesia Boulevard near Rindge Lane, are Rickey Lynn Garey, 19, of Compton; Richard Henry Ponton, 18, of Redondo Beach; a 17-year-old Redondo Beach boy, and a 16-year-old boy from Los Angeles. The latter were not identified because of their ages.

A customer found the 23-year-old Chavez, bleeding from several gunshot wounds, about 11:30 a.m. Monday. About $3,000 was missing from the cash register, police said.

Redondo Beach Police Lt. John Nelson said there is evidence that the two Redondo Beach teen-agers had visited the station previously and were friendly with Chavez.

Chavez apparently opened the locked station office Monday, Nelson said, because there was no indication that the teen-agers forced the entry.

Police said they immediately suspected the youths because they were seen loitering at the station two days earlier by a Redondo Beach patrolman, Nelson said. The patrolman questioned the youths but had no reason to arrest them, he said.