Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - Investigators released a sketch of a suspect wanted for shooting and murdering a man in front of his wife and three children June 22.

The man was shot and wounded in front of his wife, 11 year-old daughter and two 9-year-old twin boys in the 1100 block of East Wanamaker Avenue. The man was taken to a hospital for treatment and later died, according to the Covina Police Department.

The 28-year-old man and his family were out walking around 9:35 p.m.

The suspect, only described as a Latino man age 20 to 25 years old, walked in between the man and his wife. A verbal confrontation and sued and the man was shot in the chest twice, according to the Covina Police Department.

The suspect fled the area on foot. He is further described as 5 feet 5 inches tall and having a thin build.

Anyone with information that may help identify the suspect is urged to call Detective Preciado at 626-384-5622. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - Three people were transported to a trauma center Saturday morning after a shooting occurred at a bar.

The shooting occurred at Katie Jakes Bar and Grill, 750 Terrado Plaza, Saturday, May 11. First responders were sent to the bar around 2 a.m.

The Covina Police Department summoned firefighters to the bar to treat and transport patients, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Bernard Peters.

It is unclear how many of the three people transported were wounded by gunfire. The extent of injuries is not immediately known.

A Covina Police supervisor has not yet returned a request for information on the shooting.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A deputies suspicions were spot on August 31 after detaining a man seen acting suspiciously inside of a vehicle, parked outside a Starbucks in unincorporated Covina.

The vehicle was spotted at the Starbucks at Citrus Avenue and Arrow Highway. During a check of the vehicle license plate, the deputy discovered the driver was wanted on suspicion of murder, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

After the deputy and made a request for additional assistance, the driver was taken into custody without incident.

Sidney Clarke, a 28-year-old Brea resident, is accused of gunning down 21-year-old Logan Kahmar August 30. The shooting took place in a residence at 650 N. Tamarack Ave. Evidence led investigators to pin Clarke as a suspect, according to the Brea Police Department.

Brea police detectives reportedly found additional evidence linking Clarke to the murder.

Clarke is being held in lieu of $1 million bail in the Orange County Jail.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - Investigators announced that one of the suspects and a previously unidentified third suspect in the double murder at a Halloween party near Covina are in custody.

Suspects Brian Ramos, 19, and Adrian Robles, 18, turned themselves in after their attorneys coordinated with investigators for their surrender. Joel Garcia, 19, remains at large, according to the Los Angeles County sheriffs information bureau.

Ramos and Robles were taken into custody November 5.

Robles was arrested at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Industry Station at 10:15 a.m. Saturday. Ramos was arrested at 4:35 p.m.

​Both men are being held in lieu of $2 million bail ahead of a scheduled appearance at Pomona Superior Court November 8, according to Los Angeles county booking information.

Booking information from Romas was not yet available.

POMONA – The alleged gunman in a June 3 murder and the man accused of hiding him from justice are due back in court June 30.

Luis Alberto Gonzalez-Frausto, 38, was charged June 7 with one count of murder in the death of Adrian Gonzalez-Frausto. Edgar Martinez, 28, was charged June 7 with one count of being an accessory after the fact for allegedly knowingly harboring, concealing, or aiding a felon, according to Los Angeles Superior Court documents.

Adrian, 38, died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

Investigators determined the shooting happened at La Tiendita JNK Market, 1459 N. Hollenbeck Ave. after a person detained for questioning allegedly lied that the shooting occurred at a public park, according to the Covina Police Department.

Adrian was driven to Kindred Hospital, 845 N. Lark Ellen Ave., in West Covina shortly after the shooting. Officers responded to the scene around 4:40 p.m. Adrian died soon after.

One day after the murder, Luis was arrested at the Covina Police Department and booked on suspicion of murder.

Luis is being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic in lieu of $3 million bail. Martinez is also being held in the same facility in lieu of $2 million bail. Both men await arraignment in Pomona Superior Court, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - Police announced the arrest of a man investigators pegged as the gunman in a convenience store shooting.

The still-unidentified victim of the shooting turned up at Kindred Hospital, 845 N. Lark Ellen Ave., around 4:40 p.m. in West Covina just after the shooting happened June 3. A man who drove the victim to the hospital was uncooperative, only stating the shooting happened at a park. The victim soon died from his injuries, according to the Covina Police Department.

Investigators determined the shooting happened at La Tiendita JNK Market, 1459 N. Hollenbeck Ave.

Two unidentified people were arrested.

One day after the shooting, Luis Gonzalez, a 38-year-old West Covina man, was arrested at the Covina Police Department and booked on suspicion of murder.

Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call Covina Police Detective Preciado at 626-384-5622, reference case 22-15083. Leave an anonymous tip by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A stabbing and potential shooting erupted at Forest Lawn in Covina Saturday afternoon, sending three men to a nearby hospital where they are listed in stable condition.

A group of people began fighting at the cemetery, 21300 Via Verde Street, May 21 for still unknown reasons. Two people wee stabbed and a third may have been shot, according to Sgt. Tinoco of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Walnut/Diamond Bar Station.

Deputies responded to the scene at 5:49 p.m.

“Nobody is cooperating with us, nobody is speaking to us,” Tinoco told SGV CityWatch.

During the investigation, hospital staff called authorities about three victims who showed up to be treated, Tinoco told SGV CityWatch.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - Six days after a police shooting left a young man dead, Covina Police department release details of what led up to the deadly encounter.

Officers responded to country liquor, 124 E. Arrow Hwy., April 9 at 10:10 p.m. to several 9-1-1 calls reporting a man with a gun. The suspect, who the callers described, was drinking a beer outside of the liquor store and was allegedly arguing with customers, according to the Covina Police Department.

After locating three a man outside of the liquor store, Police noticed one man who fit the description of the suspect.

“The officers identified a man who fit the description of the call and gave lawful commands not to reach for anything [“Don’t reach for anything.”] The individual did not comply with these commands and begin to remove what officers reasonably believed to be a gun from his waistband,” according to the Covina Police Department in a written statement.

Officers then shot 25-year-old Daniel Valdivia, a Covina resident. He was given medical aid and transported to a hospital where he died.

Recovered was a BB gun which resembles a Glock handgun, the Covina Police Department said.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide detectives were initially called to investigate. The investigation has since been handed over to the California Department of Justice.

OAKLAND – The California Department of Justice announced Monday that it is investigating the Covina Police shooting that killed a man April 9.

The shooting took place in the 100 block of East Arrow Highway around 10:10 p.m. Covina officers were reportedly responding to a call for assistance, according to Office of the Attorney General.

The man killed was identified by the county coroner as 24-year-old Daniel Valdivia, a Covina resident.

No other details are available.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau initially responded and began investigating.

The California Department of Justice’s California Police Shooting Investigation Team for Southern California responded to the scene to investigate after being notified by local authorities.

The state-level investigation is being conducted pursuant to AB 1506 and requires a state prosecutor from the attorney general’s office to investigate police shootings involving a questionable use of force, or a shooting resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian.

AB 1506, which was signed into law September 30, 2020, went into effect July 1, 2021.

For more information, visit the Office of the Attorney General website.

POMONA – A Glendora man arrested in the shooting death of a Good Samaritan who intervened in an alleged vehicle burglary in Covina was hit with a deluge of charges Monday.

Trevor Howard Thompson, 34, was charged with one felony count each of murder, attempted murder, assault with a semi-automatic firearm, attempted carjacking, second-degree burglary of a vehicle, resisting an executive officer, vandalism and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Thompson, a Glendora man, is accused of shooting and killing 38-year-old Joey Casias December 21 in the 1800 block of East Covina Boulevard. Casias and possibly one other person confronted a suspect, believed to be Thompson, in the 1100 block of North Charter Drive around 11:18 p.m.

The suspect was chased to the 1800 block of East Covina Boulevard where Casias was shot and killed.

In a written statement, the DA’s office further stated that Thompson allegedly broke into a parked BMW, attempted to carjack one of the Good Samaritans and attacked another. Casias was shot when he tried to stop the attack.

A suspect was spotted December 22 by a UPS delivery driver in the 5100 block of North Bonnie Cove Avenue. The driver recognized the suspect from news reports, according to the Covina Police Department.

Officers located Thompson in an outdoor patio to an apartment.

“Thompson initially refused to surrender to officers and fired a round inside the patio area,” the Covina Police Department said in a written statement.

Thompson also allegedly disabled a camera on a police robot sent to conduct surveillance on Thompson.

Thompson climbed out of the patio while armed with the handgun to make an escape, but was taken down with less-lethal rounds.

Arraignment was scheduled December 27 in Pomona Superior Court, but has been continued to December 28.