Cerritos : Sentencing Set in Slaying

The man who fired the gun that killed 15-year-old Tina Kang of Cerritos in a drive-by shooting last year will be sentenced Jan. 24 for first-degree murder.

Arnel Monzano Sola, 19, of Van Nuys was convicted last week in Norwalk Superior Court. He faces 25 years to life in prison for the murder conviction alone, Deputy Dist. Atty. Larry Wong said. Sola was also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and of three counts of attempted murder.

In September, 1987, Sola, who was in the car with three other gang members, killed Kang when he fired into a crowd at a birthday party in Cerritos. Earlier, the four had been turned away from the party, which was attended by members of a rival gang.

Also convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy and attempted murder was the car’s driver, Alexander Quintoriano Paneda, 20, of Los Angeles.

Paneda will be sentenced Jan. 23, as will a passenger in the car, Ernesto Lopez, 20, of Los Angeles, who was convicted of second-degree murder, conspiracy and assault with a firearm.