LOS ANGELES — A woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to voluntary manslaughter for an arson fire at a Westlake apartment building in 1993 that killed 10 people, seven of whom were children.
Johanna Lopez, 54, entered her plea to two counts of voluntary manslaughter. She faces 22 years in state prison when she is scheduled to be sentenced on June 19.
On February 7, co-defendant Joseph Mong pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter and admitted a gang allegation. He is expected to be sentenced to 11 years in state prison on June 19.
A third defendant, Ramiro Valerio faces 12 counts of murder as well as the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder in the commission of an arson. He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Prosecutors contend the three defendants caused the fire because they were upset when the manager of the apartment complex and others wanted to stop drug deals in the building.
The apartment manager was moving furniture on May 3, 1993, when a mattress that was in a hallway was set on fire and smoke from the flames spread throughout the complex.
According to KTLA, the ‘blaze erupted so quickly that women were seen throwing babies out of the building’s windows in hope their children would survive.
Lopez was paying the 18th Street Gang for the right to distribute crack cocaine in the neighborhood and enlisted Monge and Valerio in a scheme to set the complex on fire.’
Seven children and three women, two of whom were pregnant, died from smoke inhalation. Dozens of others were injured.
