2 More Men Arrested in Birthday Brawl; 4 Now Accused in Slaying

Two more men were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder in connection with a triple stabbing in Burbank that left one man dead and two others seriously hurt in a brawl at a birthday party, authorities said.

Sgt. Don Goldberg said Jose Villa, 21, and Noe Ortiz, 31, were arrested at 1 a.m. Tuesday in the apartment they share in Huntington Park. They were being held without bail on suspicion of murder at the Burbank Jail.

Four men have been arrested as a result of the Sunday night incident. Police said Teresa Ponce, 53, the woman whose birthday was being celebrated, and Marbella Cardenas, 22, were also jailed when investigators found a small amount of cocaine in the apartment.

The women, who share the apartment, were arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine and were being held in lieu of $2,500 bail each at the Burbank Jail.

Police said Sunday’s party--involving more than 30 people at an apartment complex in the 2300 block of North Ontario Avenue--turned into a brawl about 8:30 p.m. During the melee, three neighbors--David Robles, 25; Audiel Gonzalez, 21, and Mario Jovin, 23--were stabbed. Robles died at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. Gonzalez and Jovin were in serious condition at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.

Police called to the apartment complex arrested Ramon Ambriz, 35, and Santiago Ponce, 21, Teresa Ponce’s son, on suspicion of murder. Both men were also being held at the Burbank Jail.

Goldberg said further investigation of the incident led detectives to Villa and Ortiz on Tuesday. He said there are no other suspects.