Amber Willard
BURBANK VILLAGE -- The man accused of slaying a La Crescenta executive
in his Burbank office was apparently directed to the victim by
unsuspecting employees, police said.
After confronting his wife, Stephen Kopy sought out Aramark Uniform
Services Vice President Andrew Camarata, shooting him twice in the chest
and once in the head as he sat at his desk around 3:40 p.m. Monday,
officials with the Los Angeles District Attorney's office said.
Camarata, 63, died an hour later at Providence St. Joseph Medical
Center in Burbank.
Kopy's arraignment on murder and assault with a deadly weapon charges
was continued Wednesday in Burbank Superior Court. The public defender's
office made the request to allow time for the case against Kopy to be
officially assigned to an attorney.
Kopy did not speak in court Wednesday but occasionally removed his
glasses to dab his eyes with the blue sleeve of his Los Angeles County
inmate outfit.
The 64-year-old North Hills resident told police he thought Camarata
and his wife -- whose cubicle was just outside Camarata's office -- were
having an affair. Police said there was no evidence to support those
suspicions.
In addition to murder, Kopy is charged with two counts of assault with
a deadly weapon for allegedly threatening his wife, Martha, and Aramark
employee Marco Garcia with a gun.
Garcia poked his head into Camarata's office just after Kopy entered,
said Burbank Police Sgt. Frank Reilman. Kopy turned and pointed a
semiautomatic handgun at Garcia and threatened to harm him if he did not
leave, Reilman said.
Police said Kopy entered the Aramark building at 115 N. First St. and
went to the third floor, where he asked to see his wife. He told her he
had a gun and the couple briefly struggled over the weapon.
When another employee went through a door accessible only with an
entry card, Kopy followed, concealing a gun and asking other employees
where he could find Camarata, police said. Kopy allegedly shot Camarata
after finding him in a rear office.
On Tuesday, police said Kopy, an unemployed accordion player, and his
wife were still living together at the time of the shooting, although she
had apparently filed for divorce.
The District Attorney's office filed the case against Kopy Tuesday
through its Stalking and Threat Assessment Division, which was started in
1997, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Jeffrey Jonas.
Kopy was being held without bail in a Los Angeles County jail. He is
scheduled to return to court Wednesday.
