Crime Beat

SHERIFF RELEASES SKETCHES OF SUSPECTS IN SPRING VALLEY CHILD LURING CASES

Source:  San Diego County Sheriff

March 3, 2022 (Spring Valley) - Detectives from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station are releasing sketches of the men believed to be involved in at least one of two child luring incidents in Spring Valley.


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CARJACKER WITH BOW AND ARROW ASSAULTED MOTORIST

By Miriam Raftery

File photo: cc via Bing

March 3, 2022 (San Diego) – If you spotted a bow-and-arrow wielding man on Interstate 8 yesterday, it wasn’t Robin Hood.  California Highway Patrol reports the man attacked the driver of a Toyota Highlander and hijacked the vehicle.


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MAN TRIED TO LURE CHILDREN INTO BLACK VEHICLE IN SPRING VALLEY: SHERIFF SEEKS DRIVER AND PASSENGER

March 2, 2022 (Spring Valley) -- Detectives from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station want the public's help in identifying and locating a man accused of trying to lure children into his black vehicle near a school in Spring Valley.

One of the children also told detectives the car may have tinted windows and a scratch on the rear bumper.Between February 17 and February 28, there have been at least two incidents of a man attempting to lure children into his car. The children told detectives the person who followed them is a black man between 30 and 40 years old driving a black car, possibly a Dodge Challenger or Charger. 

The children also told detectives the driver had a passenger whom they describe as a white man between 30 and 40 years old. 


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VIDEO, OFFICERS NAMES RELEASED IN EL CAJON SHOOTING INCIDENT

By Miriam Raftery

March 2, 2022 (El Cajon) – The Sheriff’s department has identified the officers involved in  February 16, 2022 shooting incident in El Cajon as deputies David Lovejoy and Jonathan Young. Both are assigned to the Lakeside substation and are currently on administrative assignment while an investigation by El Cajon Police Department continues.

Deputy Lovejoy has been with the Sheriff’s department for over eight years and Young has served there for six years, says Lt. Randy  Soulard with the El Cajon Poice Department.

The Sheriff has released video of the incident, which confirms that the driver, T Erik Talavera, 31, exited the van but failed to comply with commands from deputies. He was shot while lying on the ground, reaching for a weapon he had dropped.


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BODY CAMERAS ROLL OUT AT LAS COLINAS IN PILOT PROGRAM FOR COUNTY JAILS

Pilot program starts at Las Colinas

Source:  San Diego County Sheriff's Department

March 1, 2022 (San Diego) - Sheriff's Deputies are now using body cameras at Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee. The first body cameras were deployed on Friday, February 25.


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SPRING VALLEY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FATAL HIT-AND-RUN IN LA MESA WHICH KILLED COLLEGE STUDENT

By Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Jok Joseph Jok, 18, had dreams of going to medical school and was a student at the University of California, Riverside when he was struck by a pickup truck a year ago. The driver fled the scene, leaving Jok injured alongside the road on Bancroft Drive in La Mesa on Feb. 27, 2021. Jok died a week later in a hospital.


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SAFE GUN STORAGE ORDINANCE TAKES EFFECT TODAY

Source: County News Service

Photo: close-up of 38 caliber revolver handgun with safety trigger lock.

February 25, 2022 (San Diego) – Starting today, a new County of San Diego ordinance requiring that all guns be safely stored takes effect. It requires all guns in homes or structures near a home to either be secured with a trigger lock or be locked away in a container.


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CHILD, 6, ABDUCTED IN SPRING VALLEY; LAST SEEN IN NATIONAL CITY

East County News Service

Photo: Joylin Gutierrez, 6, and her suspected captor, her non-custodial parent Wendy Guttierez

Update:  Authorities indicate the abductor may have taken Joylin Gutierrez into Mexico.

February 22, 2022 (Spring Valley) -- The Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station wants your help in locating a missing six-year-old girl from Spring Valley.

On Tuesday, February 22 around 1:15 p.m., Joylin Gutierrez was taken from Kempton Elementary School located in the 700 block of Kempton Street in Spring Valley. Joylin  is Hispanic, three feet tall with long brown hair and brown eyes.  She was last seen wearing a pink or purple sweater.

 Joylin is believed to be with her biological, non-custodial parent, 45-year-old Wendy Gutierrez.

They were last seen around 4:00 p.m. in the area near East Plaza Boulevard and South Harbison Avenue in National City.


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CHP SEEKS WITNESSES TO “ROAD RAGE” SHOOTING ON I-805 NEAR MOUNTAIN VIEW

East County News Service

February 21, 2022 (San Diego) –The California Highway Patrol is looking for a grey sedan involved in a “road rage” incident reported at 3:27 p.m. today on the I-805 southbound ramp to 43rd Street in the Mountain View area.  

The grey sedan had a female driver and a male passenger, who fired three shots into a Toyota 4Runner, striking the Toyota’s male driver in the thigh.  The victim was transported to a hospital with non-critical injuries.


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RAPE KIT DNA NOT USED IN OTHER SAN DIEGO CASES AS OCCURRED IN SAN FRANCISCO

 
February 20, 2022 (San Diego) - DNA is a godsend for law enforcement, especially so these days when so many cases involving the science behind other methods of police lab work are being questioned, like bite mark comparisons and blood spatter analysis.

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SAN DIEGO SHERIFF DOES NOT SHARE RAPE VICTIM’S DNA TO SOLVE OTHER CRIMES

By Miriam Raftery

Image: CC via Bing

February 18, 2022 (San Diego) – After revelations that San Francisco police used DNA collected from rape kits to charge a rape victim with a property crime, San Francisco’s District Attorney Chesa Boudin dismissed the charges and called the police actions a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures.

So East County Magazine asked the San Diego Sheriff department whether it has submitted rape victims’ DNA collected at hospitals to a database that could be used to link rape victims to other crimes.

Within hours of our request, Lieutenant Amber Baggs, the Sheriff’s Media Relations Director, sent this response:  “No we do NOT do this.  I read the article as well and checked with our Crime Lab Director. We do not match victim's DNA to other crimes. Thank you for asking so this can be clarified.”


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FEDERAL CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT SEEKS TO IMPROVE “DANGEROUS, DEADLY” CONDITIONS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY JAILS

At least 185 people have died in San Diego County jails from 2006 through 2020 and has the highest death rate among the largest county jails in California

East County News Service

February 17, 2022 (San Diego) -- Attorneys representing people incarcerated in San Diego County jails have filed an amended complaint in a federal class-action lawsuit against the County of San Diego, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego County Probation Department, and medical and mental health contractors for the San Diego County jails. The complaint challenges the defendants’ collective failure to provide adequate medical and mental health care and living conditions for people incarcerated in county jails, as well as violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the disproportionate overincarceration of people with disabilities and people of color.


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SHERIFF DEPUTIES FIRE SHOTS, INJURE SUSPECT AND DETECTIVE

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via ECM news partner 10 News

February 17, 2022 (El Cajon) – A vehicle theft suspect armed with a knife was shot by San Diego Sheriff’s deputies and injured last night in El Cajon. 

A detective from National City Police Department assigned to the Regional Auto Theft Task Force also sustained a minor gunshot wound.


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SUPER BOWL REVELER ARRESTED AFTER RAMMING SHERIFF’S VEHICLES, PROMPTING SWAT STANDOFF WITH SON IN VEHICLE

East County News Service

Photo: CC via Bing

February 14, 2022 (Valley Center) – David Salas, Jr. of Valley Center is charged with assaulting Sheriff’s deputies with a deadly weapon after he rammed his Dodge Ram pickup truck into multiple patrol vehicles and dragged one officer.


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CHURCH FOOD PANTRY ROBBED IN LEMON GROVE: HELP NEEDED TO FEED PEOPLE IN NEED

Updated Feb. 15 with additional comments from Jennifer Mendoza.

By Miriam Raftery

February 14, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – Thieves broke into the church and  food pantry at St. John’s of the Cross Church at 8086 Broadway in Lemon Grove on February 8 around 3 a.m., vandalizing the property and stealing foods used to feed people in need, according to Councilmember Jennifer Mendoza, who manages the church's food pantry.

Councilmember Mendoza says, "We’re at the food pantry every Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. till noon. Any donations are much appreciated."

According to Mendoza, two of the perpetrators have been arrested. "The sheriff thinks there may be more. They don't think they were after food but were looking for electronic equipment like TVs, computers, speakers etc. or money. They also broke into the church...They caused a lof of damage to the church and pantry. We need to fix broken windows and doors, replace locks, etc.  We are also thinking we now need a security system."


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LINGERIE THEFT SUSPECTS BUSTED BY CHP ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME TASK FORCE

East County News Service

February 14, 2022 (San Diego) -- California Highway Patrol (CHP) investigators assigned to Border Division’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF) have arrested three suspects believed to be part of an organized retail theft ring. Investigators also recovered thousands of dollars in bras, panties and other merchandise stolen from Victoria’s Secret stores across our region.


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ACTING SHERIFF APPROVES CITIZENS’ OVERSIGHT MEMBERS TO ACCESS SCENE OF FATAL DEPUTY-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS AND JAIL DEATHS

By Miriam Raftery

February 14, 2022 (San Diego) – Less than two weeks after the resignation of Sheriff Bill Gore, Acting Sheriff Kelly Martinez has approved a process for trained Citizen's Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) staff to respond to death scenes in county jails as well as deputy-involved shootings that result in a fatality or where death is likely.


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BROTHER ARRESTED FOR MURDER IN LAKESIDE

By Miriam Raftery

February 12, 2022 (Lakeside) – Bryan Luther Edwards, 27, has been arrested for the shooting death of his brother, Derek Maurice Edwards, 32, at their Lakeside home.  Bryan was stabbed in the altercation with Derek and was transported to a local area hospital for treatment.


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INMATE DIES IN HOSPITAL OF TERMINAL ILLNESS

East County News Service

 

February 11, 2022 (San Diego) – Doyle Nyles Marler, 63, has died while in custody of a hospital guard unit while awaiting palliative care for a terminal illness.

 

Marler, was arrested on May 2, 2020 and charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. Two months later, on July 24, 2020, he was committed to Patton State Hospital but never sent there, due to COVID-19 restrictions at the hospital. 


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CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER CALLS FOR RACIAL BREAKDOWN OF JAIL DEATHS

By Miriam Raftery

February 9, 2022 (San Diego) – Last week, the California State Auditor affirmed that over 185 people have died in San Diego County jails from 2006-2020. Today, the People’s Association of Justice Advocates (PAJ) called for a racial breakdown of those deaths as well as data on how many of those who died ever came before a judge.


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NEW ASSISTANT SHERIFF NAMED TO OVERSEE DETENTION FACILITIES

East County News Service

February 8, 2022 (San Diego) -- On February 25, Commander Theresa Adams-Hydar will be appointed to the position of Assistant Sheriff of the Detention Services Bureau, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department announced in a media release.


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BOAT FALLS OFF TRAILER, IMPALES AND KILLS MOTORIST IN JAMUL

By Miriam Raftery

February 7, 2022 (Jamul) -- The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has arrested a driver on suspicion of manslaughter after a crash Saturday evening, Feb. 5, that resulted in the death of another motorist. 


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ANIMAL SERVICES GIVES MICROCHIP READERS TO SHERIFF SO DEPUTIES CAN SCAN PETS, HELP FURRY FRIENDS GET HOME FASTER

By Miriam Raftery

February 6, 2022 (San Diego) -- Imagine calling your dog’s name to come inside. After a few minutes, you realize they’re gone. One in three pets will get lost in their lifetime. Dogs jump fences, cats escape, even other small pets can become lost. Not knowing where your furry friends may be or if they're safe can be very worrisome for families.  


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TWO ARRESTS FOR “GHOST GUNS," DRUGS IN LEMON GROVE

East County News Service

February 5, 2022 (Lemon Grove) -- Two people have been arrested on weapons and drug charges in Lemon Grove, says Lt. Pat McEvoy with the San Diego Sheriff.


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STATE AUDITOR SLAMS SD SHERIFF’S DEPT. ON JAIL DEATHS, URGES LEGISLATURE TO FIX ISSUE

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Sheriff Bill Gore, whose retirement is effective Thursday, has pushed back against jail critics in the past. Photo by Ken Stone

February 3, 2022 (San Diego) - On the day San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore retires, a state auditor released a damning report Thursday that calls on state lawmakers to make “meaningful changes” to reduce his agency’s high rate of jail deaths.


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ATTEMPTED BANK ROBBERY SUSPECT ARRESTED IN LA MESA

February 2, 2022 (La Mesa) – A man who attempted to rob Cabrillo Credit Union at 7900 El Cajon Blvd. in La Mesa yesterday passed a demand note to the teller, but fled before receiving any money.  
 
He fled on foot, heading west on El Cajon Blvd.  La Mesa Police officers searched the area.  Within seven minutes of the initial call, an officer spotted a man matching the suspect’s description on Guava Avenue, says Lt. Katy Lynch.

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SUPERVISORS APPROVE ANDERSON’S AND DESMOND’S REQUEST TO ADDRESS SHORTAGE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Sheriff recruits, via San Diego Sheriff’s Department

January 30, 2022 (San Diego) – San Diego County Supervisors on January 25 unanimously approved a request by East County Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond to resolve an anticipated shortage of law enforcement officers as vaccine mandates, retirements, COVID-19, recruitment and retention issues impact staffing levels.


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SPRING VALLEY HOMICIDE VICTIM WAS ESTRANGED WIFE OF SUSPECT

By Miriam Raftery

January 30, 2022 (Spring Valley) – A Spring Valley woman found dead of traumatic injuries Thursday night has been identified as Ericka Joyce Wilson, 29. She died of multiple stab wounds, the Medical Examiner’s office has concluded after an autopsy.

“Ericka Wilson and the suspect who was arrested in this case, 29-year-old Kandynn Taylor Wilson, were married but estranged.  The motive is still under investigation,” says Lieutenant Joel Stranger with the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Family Protection unit.


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MAN SENTENCED FOR PARTICIPATING IN ARSON DURING LA MESA RIOT

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Jake Rose: Randall Lamb building in flames

January 29, 2022 (La Mesa) – Daniel Louis Sandoval, 44, of Campo has been sentenced for his role in the burning down of the historic Randall Lamb building in La Mesa shortly after midnight on May 31, 2020 during civil unrest.


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HOMELESS MAN ACCUSED OF ROBBING WELLS FARGO IN LA MESA

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CC by SA-NC

January 29, 2022 (La Mesa) – A homeless man accused of robbing the Wells Fargo Bank in Grossmont Center on Thursday was arrested soon after in a nearby restaurant.


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