LOS ANGELES (CNS) — A 34-year-old man was charged Monday with murder and other counts for allegedly gunning down a man who was in a group of people trying to detain the suspect after an attempted carjacking and burglary in Covina.
Trevor Howard Thompson, of Glendora, is accused in the Dec. 21 shooting that killed Joey Manuel Casias, a father of three and a 19-year UPS employee. Thompson is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in the Pomona Courthouse.
“This is an especially heartbreaking incident since Mr. Casias was simply acting as a good Samaritan,” District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement. “As we seek to ensure accountability, we also will make every possible service available to the victims and their families.”
Thompson was charged with one felony count each of murder, attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm -- a Colt .45 -- attempted carjacking, second-degree burglary of vehicle, resisting an executive officer, vandalism and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the D.A.'s Office.
Last Tuesday, Thompson was confronted by a group of people in a Covina neighborhood for allegedly breaking into a parked BMW. Thompson then allegedly attempted to carjack one of the residents' vehicles and then attacked another man, prosecutors said.
Casias, 38, of Covina, intervened to try to stop the attack when Thompson allegedly shot at the man he was struggling with and fatally shot Casias, according to the D.A.'s Office.
Thompson was arrested the following day after an hours-long standoff with police in which he allegedly disabled a police camera bot.
A GoFundMe account established to help Casias' family had raised $126,097 as of Monday.
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