School Janitor Charged in Administrator’s Killing

A female janitor from Warren High School in Downey was charged Friday with the Jan. 12 killing of the school’s assistant principal.

Monica M. Chavez, 40, pleaded not guilty to murder, burglary and robbery charges and special circumstance allegations that could make her eligible for the death penalty, a court clerk said.

Chavez had been a night custodian at the Downey high school where victim George Blackwell worked, but has been on leave, officials said. Police said Blackwell had occasionally hired Chavez to clean his house.

Chavez, Alex Freddy Vega, 42, and parolee Gilbert Raul Rubio, the 36-year-old alleged gunman who was charged last week, all face the same charges.

Rubio was arrested shortly after he allegedly killed Blackwell during a burglary and robbery. The two other defendants also had been at the educator’s home that night, according to police, but left before Blackwell was shot.