Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

POMONA - The man who admitted to killing an innocent woman, his estranged wife and attempting to shoot and kill two others will be spending decades behind bars.

Miguel Angel Prieto, who previously pleaded guilty to the above-mentioned crimes, was sentenced to 40 years to life in state prison, authorities announced recently.

In a blood-thirsty hunt for his estranged wife, Prieto shot a man and woman inside a vehicle parked on an industrial side street in the 1500 block of West McKinley Avenue in Azusa February 9, 2018. Prieto apparently believed the woman to be his estranged wife, Maria Perez. The man survived his wounds, the woman did not.

The woman was identified as Rocio Sandoval, 38.

April 7, 2018, Prieto ventured to the restaurant of Perez’s uncle in Long Beach and shot at a woman inside the restaurant he believed to be Perez’s aunt.

Prieto went to Perez’s Covina apartment April 11 and it was there that she was shot multiple times and killed, prosecutors previously said.

Witnesses and neighbors were able to identify Prieto as the gunman. He was located in Long Beach hours after his estranged wife’s slaying and arrested.

COVINA - 29 grams of heroin, 10 grams of methamphetamine and a “ghost gun” were found stashed in a closet inside a hotel room occupied by a woman wanted for smuggling narcotics across the border.

Chino woman Kelly Branham, 29, was sought by the U.S. Marshal Service for drug running to and from Mexico. 

The Covina Police Crime Impact Team was investigating Branham who is on probation. She was located at the Vanllee Hotel and Suites, 1211 E. Garvey St., at 11a.m. March 9.

“CIT Detectives located an unserialized and loaded firearm or “ghost glock” in her closet. They also located approximately 29 grams of heroin and approximately 10 grams of methamphetamine in the room,” the Covina Police Department said in a written statement.

Branham was arrested on felony charges. The U.S. Marshal Service later took custody of her.

COVINA - A Covina police officer received the department’s Honorary Life Saving Medal after rescuing a man attempting to take his own life recently.

Officer Reed, along with fellow officers Hickey, Medina and Barraco, saved a man who had hung himself with a makeshift noise, according to the Covina Police Department.

After arriving to the residential garage, officers Hickey, Medina and Barraco held up the man while Reed removed the noose and the man was placed into a recovery position while life-saving efforts were performed, Covina Police said.

“We commend Officer Reed, Officer Hickey, Officer Medina and Officer Barraco for their quick thinking, teamwork, and professionalism throughout their careful response, and immediate life-saving efforts,” the Covina Police Department said in a written statement.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A man and woman were jailed Friday after investigators discovered that two more suspects involved in a kidnapping and attempted murder from February were hiding out in Los Angeles.

Kristine Mina, 33, and Dominic Garcia, 49, were located at a residence in the 6200 block of La Mirada Avenue in Los Angeles March 5 and arrested at the home.

With the aid of Monrovia Police and Baldwin Park Police, Covina investigators identified three suspects.

The first suspect to be locked up, Sammy Wilson, was jailed March 2 and eventually charged with one count each of attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, kidnapping, and street terrorism, according to Public Information Officer Pamela Johnson with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

After dual search warrants were served at a Covina residence in the 100 block of North Vecino Drive and an Azusa residence in the 500 block of North San Gabriel Avenue March 4, investigators believed the two remaining suspects were in Los Angeles.

Mina, a Covina resident, was arrested after she was seen during a surveillance operation on the Los Angeles home. Covina detectives, with the assistance of the Los Angeles Police Department, Hollywood Division, contained the home after developing a hunch that the final suspect, Montclair man Dominic Garcia, was still inside, Covina Police said.

Garcia eventually exited the home and was taken into custody. A search warrant for the Los Angeles home was then safely executed, Covina Police said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA – One arrest was made and additional suspects are sought in an ongoing kidnapping and shooting investigation, Covina Police announced Thursday.

A search warrant was served by Covina officers at a residence in the 100 block of North Vecino Drive at 3 a.m. March 4. Azusa Police were busy serving a related search warrant in the 500 block of North San Gabriel Avenue, according to the Covina Police Department.

The only arrest so far in this investigation came in the form of 20-year-old Baldwin Park man Sammy Wilson, who was arrested March 2 by Covina officers at 9:58 a.m., according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Wilson was charged with one count each of attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, kidnapping, and street terrorism, according to Pamela Johnson, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office public information officer.

The shooting incident occurred on or around February 20. No other details were available.

“Our Detective Bureau personnel are attempting to locate additional suspects involved in this matter,” Covina Police said in a written statement.

Wilson’s arraignment was continued to April 20 in Department N of the Pomona Courthouse.