Los Angeles County prosecutors Friday declined to file any charges against a 19-year-old man who had been arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a fellow passenger on a Metro E Line train in University Park, saying he acted in self-defense.
According to a District Attorney's Office report, surveillance video from the train showing Tuesday afternoon's confrontation confirmed Carlos Carrillo-Martinez's contention that he acted in self-defense when he stabbed the victim, 27-year-old Jalil Sosa Illera.
Carrillo-Martinez told investigators he was standing in the bicycle area of the train looking at his phone when Illera began staring at him “with his eyes popping out and his lips quivering.” Carrillo-Martinez asked him if he needed help, when Illera “unprovoked, punched (Carrillo-Martinez) in the face area, breaking (his) glasses and causing a laceration to (his) face.”
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
Carillo-Martinez “attempted to defend himself, but (Illera) continued to batter him,'' according to the DA report. "Carrillo-Martinez had a knife on his person and armed himself, stabbing Illera multiple times.''
Carrillo-Martinez then backed away from Illera, who fled the train and returned to his apartment complex, where he collapsed. He was later taken to a hospital, where he died, the report states.
Video from the train "corroborates" Carrillo-Martinez's account of the events.
According to the report, Illera's father told police that he believed that his son had been kicked out of USC, and officials from his apartment complex indicated "that there were nine prior calls to the complex due to Illera's belligerent behavior.''
“Based upon these facts, and the video evidence of the incident, the evidence is insufficient to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt due to self-defense issues,'' according to the report.
The stabbing was reported about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday at the LATTC/Ortho Institute Station near the 2400 block of South Flower Street, police said.
Police had earlier released surveillance video from the station in an effort to find Carrillo-Martinez, who surrendered to police Thursday morning. He had been booked on suspicion of murder but was released from custody in response to prosecutors declining to file charges.
