3 charged with murder in attempted Bel-Air robbery

Three young men from Oakland have been charged with murder and other counts stemming from a follow-home attempted robbery in Bel-Air in which a victim was shot in the head and a fourth suspect was fatally wounded, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced Friday.

Jason Melara, Daymonee Johnson and Mahki Taylor, all 19, were set to be arraigned Friday afternoon in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on one count each of murder, second-degree robbery and shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, along with two counts each of attempted second-degree robbery and assault with a semiautomatic firearm.

Taylor is also facing an additional count of attempted murder.

All three are also facing allegations that they personally used a handgun, with Taylor facing an additional allegation that he personally inflicted great bodily injury, according to the criminal complaint.

The most serious charges stem from the follow-home attempted robbery Sept. 13, in which police said the victim and his wife were confronted in their driveway in the 11400 block of North Thurston Circle, near Sunset Boulevard and the San Diego (405) Freeway, by multiple armed suspects who demanded property from them.

One of the suspects shot the man in the head before fleeing the scene with the other suspects in an awaiting vehicle, authorities said.

The victim - who is listed in the criminal complaint as "John Doe #2" - was taken to a hospital. He remains in critical condition, according to authorities.

Police said one of the suspects, Mario Melara, was severely injured during the robbery and shooting and later died at a hospital. It was unclear if Melara - who was identified as Jason Melara's brother - sustained injuries from the victim or from one of the other suspects.

The second-degree robbery charge and one of the assault charges against the three defendants stem from a Sept. 12 hold-up of an alleged victim identified only as "John Doe #1," according to the complaint.

Investigators eventually located Jason Melara, Johnson and Taylor in Northern California, where they were arrested.

They have remained behind bars since then, jail records show.