Mechanic Fatally Shot at Pacoima Auto Shop

A caretaker at a Pacoima auto repair business fatally shot a Sun Valley man who had been working on a car there Tuesday, Los Angeles police said.

Carlos Daneal Costa, 22, was pronounced dead at the scene in the 13200 block of Van Nuys Boulevard, Detective Al Ferrand said. The suspect, a Latino described as 28 to 30 years old, fled, perhaps in a beige 1965 Chevrolet Impala, Ferrand said.

Police had not determined a motive in the slaying. Ferrand said it did not appear that robbery was a motive, nor was there any evidence that the victim was involved in gangs or drugs.

Ferrand described Costa as a free-lance auto mechanic who paid a fee to use the facility for car repairs. Witnesses told police they heard a shot and saw the gunman looking down at the victim. Police said the two may have known each other, but the nature of the relationship was unknown.