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Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that a 32-year-old man was charged today with the daylight fatal stabbing of teen Xavier Chavarin and the attempted murder of Daniel Villalobos last week.

“Tragically, a family is again mourning the loss of a child to an act of violence,” District Attorney Gascón said. “Xavier didn’t even have a chance to fulfill his full potential. By all accounts he had a bright future ahead of him before his life was cut short when he was fatally stabbed from behind. Thankfully, Daniel Villalobos was able to fend off the attacker and is recovering in the hospital. My heart goes out to the families of both victims and my office will hold the person accountable for his actions.”

David Anthony Zapata (dob 11/16/90) was charged in case BA513243 with one count each of murder and attempted murder with the special allegation of personally using a deadly and dangerous weapon, a knife.

He is scheduled to be arraigned in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

On March 3, Chavarin was waiting for his mother in front of a restaurant in the 4500 block of Valley Boulevard in El Sereno when the defendant allegedly approached him from behind and stabbed him in the back. Chavarin died moments later.

Zapata fled and got into the passenger seat of a SUV.

Several hours later, Zapata is accused of stabbing Villalobos, 33, multiple times in a parking lot in the 5400 block of Valley Boulevard. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital where he is recovering from his injuries.

The case remains under investigation by Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division.