A man accused of firing a shotgun into a San Diego park and killing a 15-year-old girl must stand trial for murder.
A judge ruled Wednesday that there was enough evidence to try 19-year-old Luis Francisco Barron for the August attack at Lindbergh Park. He'll also be tried on a charge of assault with a firearm for an unrelated incident. He faces 54 years to life in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors claim Barron fired a random shot from an SUV and struck teenager Joanna Vargas, who had sneaked out of her home to hang out with friends.
Joanna's mother thought she was sleeping Aug. 27 at 1:15 a.m. Instead, the teen had snuck out to meet her 19-year-old boyfriend and another couple at the park, she said.
Barron was captured in a Tijuana neighborhood called Colonia Obrera, an area in the western part of the city, and returned to the U.S. earlier this month.
After Barron's arrest, police credited the community's involvement in tracking him down.
