Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - Three suspects implicated in a November 2024 double shooting were arrested, the West Covina Police Department announced recently.

Keyon Wilkes, a 23-year-old La Puente man, Johnny Pardo, a 33-year-old West Covina man and Michael Turner, a 45-year-old Gardena man, are accused of a shooting at Tina’s Tavern, 328 S. Glendora Ave. November 9.

Turner was arrested November 9. Wilkes was arrested December 12. Pardo was arrested January 18, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Turner was officially charged with one count of assault on a person with a semiautomatic firearm. He pleaded not guilty January 21, according to Los Angeles Superior Court records.

Wilkes was charged with one count of assault on a person with a semiautomatic firearm, and two special allegations of use of a firearm and causing great bodily injury, according to Los Angeles Superior Court records.

Wilkes posted bond January 17 and was released.

Pardo’s case is still under review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, according to the West Covina Police Department.

Pardo posted bond and was released January 19.

A reported argument led to the shooting which occurred around 11:30 p.m. November 9. First responders arrived to one victim wounded in a parking lot, another was found inside the bar.

Both men wounded men were conscious while being loaded into ambulances. A white sedan was towed from the scene as evidence.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A La Puente man is facing assault with a deadly weapon charges and more, accused of unloading a handgun during a reported road rage incident.

Javier Arturo Ramirez was officially charged with one count of shooting at an inhabited vehicle, two counts of assault with a firearm on a person, and three felony enhancements, according to Los Angeles Superior Court records.

Ramirez pleaded not guilty November 14.

Ramirez, 21, is accused of shooting at another driver and at a passenger during what is described as a road rage shooting in West Covina November 8. The shooting occurred in the 300 block of South Azusa Avenue just before 10 p.m.

Both victims were uninjured, according to the West Covina Police Department.

Ramirez was located and arrested in Pomona November 10.

Ramirez is being held without bail ahead of another scheduled appearance in West Covina Superior Court Thursday December 12.

​**********
The arrest record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Arrest information is public record and was distributed by government sources. The person named in this article has only been arrested on suspicion of the crime(s) listed and is presumed innocent.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - After several hours of negotiations, a man was smoked out of a home November 12, after he attempted to blow up the residence.

During negotiations, the suspect allegedly pointed a handgun at officers from within the home, according to the West Covina Police Department.

First responders were called to the 700 block of North Broadmoor Avenue to a reported fire alarm call just before 1:30 a.m. The suspect within stated he wanted to burn his home down.

“When officers arrived, the male subject, who was outside, quickly entered the residence. As officers approached the location they smelled an odor of gas and something burning. When officers attempted to make contact with the male, officers observed the subject walk up to a window and point a firearm at them,” according to the West Covina Police Department in a written statement.

The West Covina SWAT Team responded, as well as a crisis negotiation team. Officers determined the suspect was alone in the residence, according to the West Covina Police Department.

A search warrant was written. As negotiations continued to go nowhere, tear gas was propelled into the home. Suspect Michael Samaniego, 40, was arrested and booked on suspicion of assault on a peace officer with a firearm and resisting an officer by use of force, according to the West Covina Police Department.

Samaniego is being held without bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in West Covina Superior Court November 14.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A child has come forward with claims of sexual abuse against a man already accused of possessing hundreds of images of child porn.

A federal warrant was issued for Matthew Peter Mullen, 39. He was arrested August 8 and initially booked on suspicion of possessing child pornography and possession of obscene images of minors in a sexual manner, according to the West Covina Police Department.

“Later on August 08, 2024, a victim who is a minor was identified. West Covina Police Detectives and Special Agents from HSI contacted the victim and their family. This criminal investigation led to additional allegations of sex acts with a child under 10 years of age against S-Mullen,” according to the West Covina Police Department in a written statement.

The alleged acts were said to have occurred January 1, 2021.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed multiple felony counts for sex acts with a child under 10 years of age. Mullen was arraigned in West Covina Superior Court August 12 and is being held without bail.

It appears none of the original porn charges were included when Mullen was charged, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records.

Mullen pleaded not guilty August 12. He is scheduled for an early disposition hearing September 9, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records.

Assisting with the investigation are the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Department of Homeland Security.

**********
​The arrest record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Arrest information is public record and was distributed by government sources. The person named in this article has only been arrested on suspicion of the crime(s) listed and is presumed innocent.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - One week after a brutal homicide was reported at a bus stop, detectives arrested a suspect.

Kevin Davis, 64, a North Hollywood resident, was found with a stab wound to the chest at a bus stop at California Avenue and West Covina Parkway around 3:47 a.m. Sunday, July 7. Despite efforts to save Davis, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Detectives somehow identified Rodney Chapman Jr., 34, as a suspect. He was located in the city of Pomona where he was arrested.

Chapman was charged with first-degree murder along with enhancements for using a weapon during the murder and for having been convicted of five previous felonies dating back to 2010, according to the West Covina Police Department in a written statement.

Chapman is being held without bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles. He is next scheduled for an appearance in West Covina Superior Court, July 29.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - The US Marshal Service went to Jurupa Valley and arrested a man Friday accused of lewd and lascivious acts with a child or children.

José de Jesus Barraza, 47, was arrested and is being held in a lieu of $900,000 bail. Barraza was a gymnastics coach and operated out of the community centers in West Covina, according to the West Covina Police Department.

Authorities did not elaborate when the alleged assaults took place, or with how many potential victims.

Barraza is being held in the West Covina jail ahead of scheduled appearance at the West Covina Courthouse August 8.

West Covina detectives believe there may be additional victims that have yet to come forward. Anyone who knows a victim or anyone who may be a victim of Barraza is urged to call the West Covina police Department at 626-939-8500.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A 39-year-old man was taken into custody after an hours-long barricade, accused of domestic violence against his girlfriend.

Brian Miranda resisted arrested and hunkered down inside a unit at The Colony at the Lakes, 301 S. Glendora Ave. The West Covina Police Special Problems Detail ultimately took Miranda in custody, according to the West Covina Police Department.

Officers were sent to the apartment complex around 3:43 a.m. Thursday, July 6, to a report of a disturbance and a man with a gun. Officers encounter a woman who was the apparent victim of domestic battery.

Many streets surrounding of The Colony were blocked during the entire ordeal.

Miranda was booked on suspicion of being a felon, in possession of a firearm, domestic battery, child endangerment, delaying and resisting a peace officer, trespassing and violating his probation, according to the West Covina Police Department.

Miranda is being held without bail in the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA – A suspect was booked on suspicion of felony domestic battery, forced oral copulation felony evading and resisting arrest in a string of crimes ending with a lengthy barricade.

Raul Sanchez, a 45-year-old West Covina man refused to stop for officers when they attempted to pull him over July 12. He was accused of battery and attempted rape in the 200 block of North Broadmoor Avenue, according to the West Covina Police Department.

Officers were dispatched to the neighborhood around 9:11 p.m.. Officers were told Sanchez was armed with a handgun. Officers located Sanchez as he was driving in the area, but he refused to stop and led police on a pursuit.

The chase scurried along several SoCal freeways, including the I-10, 710 and 105 freeways, and surface streets in West Covina, Whitter and Inglewood.

Sanchez returned to the 200 block of North Broadmoor and collided with the rear of a parked vehicle. Officers boxed in Sanchez who attempted to free the jammed vehicle by accelerating in reverse, kicking up sparks and smoke.

“The suspect made threats that he had a gun and was not giving up. The suspect refused to exit the vehicle and West Covina SWAT team was deployed. The suspect was taken into custody at approximately 2:25 am after the deployment of chemical agents and a police K9,” according to the West Covina Police Department in a written statement.

Sanchez was booked at the West Covina Jail and is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

“The suspect did not possess a gun on his person when he was taken into custody. It is not known yet if there is a gun in the vehicle. The vehicle was towed and taken back to the police station and will be searched by detectives in the near future,” according to the West Covina Police Department in a written statement.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - A 71-year-old man remains in critical condition after a possible road rage confrontation led to an assault June 29.

Walter Mauricio Madrid, 29, was arrested the day of the alleged assault, according to Los Angeles County booking records. He was booked on suspicion of battery/aggravated assault, according to the West Covina Police Department.

Just before 6:30 p.m. June 29, the victim, an Avocado Heights resident, and Madrid May have gotten into a road rage incident near Sunset Avenue and Plaza Drive. The incident ended with a physical confrontation at Evanwood Avenue and Merced Avenue where the victim was knocked unconscious, according to the West Covina Police Department.

As of July 7, the victim was still in critical condition.

Madrid posted $30,000 bond the day of the assault, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Anyone with information that can help this investigation is urged to call West Covina Police Detective Silva at 626-939-8539.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - Police have just announced the arrest of a man accused of sexually battering a 17-year-old girl May 21.

Manuel Avila, 25, was recently arrested by West Covina detectives with assistance from the Covina Police Department. Avila was booked on suspicion of sexual battery and is being held in the West Covina jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.

The West Covina Police Department issued a public statement for assistance in identifying the suspect June 1. Avila was arrested two days later, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Avila was panhandling in the 200 block of N. Citrus Ave. when he came in contact with a 17-year-old girl. During the contact, Avila allegedly sexually battered the girl then fled the location, according to the west Covina Police Department.

Avila is scheduled for an appearance in the West Covina courthouse Tuesday, June 7.