Man guilty in murder of clerk

Bill Gang

Friday, July 30, 1999 | 11:55 a.m.

A Los Angeles man who had spent time in juvenile and adult jails in California was found guilty by a District Court jury today of murder charges in the shooting death of a convenience store clerk.

The same jury will return Monday to the courthouse to determine if Arthur Robles, 26, should be given the death penalty or sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole.

Robles showed little emotion as the verdict was read in District Judge Donald Mosley's courtroom.

Trial testimony indicated Robles had asked a friend for a lift to the 7-Eleven at the northwest corner of Tropicana Avenue and Spencer Street to buy baby formula for his child.

The friend told police he stayed in the car while Robles ran inside.

Evidence showed that in the March 1996 murder, Robles walked up to clerk Billie Johnson and asked for change for the quarter video poker machine. Johnson told him she would have to see some identification.

That's when witnesses said Robles lifted a rifle from under his Navy peacoat and shot her once in the chest. Johnson, 44, died behind the counter where she had worked for just a month.

A delivery truck driver followed Robles out of the store and copied down the car's license plate number and gave it to police.