A murder charge was filed Monday against a young man who allegedly confessed to shooting his childhood friend, a 22-year-old Newhall resident whose body was found last week in the Angeles National Forest near Sand Canyon.
David Aldana, 21, surrendered to authorities at a U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday and led investigators to Maximiliano Bernal‘s body at mile marker 7.98 on Sand Canyon Road, according to sheriff’s officials.
Aldana appeared in court Monday, but his arraignment was postponed to March 21. The judge ordered him held on $3 million bail, according to a court clerk.
Aldana turned himself in last week at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego County.
“During their interview, David Aldana agreed to show the investigators where he had discarded the body,” said Deputy Lisa Jansen of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
She said Aldana “directed the detectives to the location, where they found the victim’s remains and discovered the victim had sustained a gunshot wound to the upper torso.”
Prosecutors said Bernal, a friend of Aldana’s since childhood, was shot Feb. 23 or 24.
If convicted as charged, Aldana faces up to 50 years to life in prison.
A possible motive for the shooting was not disclosed.
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