San Diego Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

A San Diego jury found a man guilty of first-degree murder and arson after only one day of deliberations.

Larry W. Brown, 46, who was suspected of killing his roommate, Vicki Jo Hunter and setting her Chula Vista motor home on fire in December of 2005, was found guilty on Tuesday. The San Diego homicide victim had left a note with a friend stating that Brown was being physically abusive with her. The next day she was found dead in a burned trailer in a by a San Diego Metro KOA campground employee.

The defendant was found driving Hunter’s vehicle two days later by police. Before he was arrested he led police on a 48 mile chase at speeds of 110 mph.

Brown was found guilty after one day of jury deliberations of first- degree murder, arson and evading officers with reckless driving. Judge Timothy Walsh will sentence Brown on March 24 in South Bay.

Man Guilty of Killing Roommate and Torching Mobile Home, San Diego 6 The CW, February 23, 2010

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A man who allegedly stalked The Hills reality TV show’s star in the past has been arrested again on suspicion of stalking Audrina Patridge at her Hollywood home on Friday, according to Los Angeles police Sergeant Kyle Kirkman.

Patridge who attended Comic-Con in San Diego last July, and her brother Mark have a 3 year restraining order against 24 year-old Zachary Loring of Petaluma that was granted by Judge David S. Cunningham in Los Angeles Superior Court last September. On Friday, Loring was arrested after knocking on her door at her home in the Hollywood Hills.

The suspected stalker who was ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from the “Sorority Row” star had been arrested last September for disturbing the peace and on two outstanding warrants for vandalism in Sonoma County, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department.

Loring, who according to jail records did not specify if he had a criminal defense attorney, was arrested on Friday on violating a court order and on suspicion of stalking. His bail is set at $150,000.

Audrina Patridge's Accused Stalker Arrested Again, Fox 5 San Diego, February 19, 2010

Audrina Patridge's accused stalker arrested in LA, Sign on San Diego, February 19, 2010

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A San Diego robbery of a Point Loma Community Credit Union branch leaves two men in custody, according to San Diego police.

A Point Loma Community Credit Union branch at 1350 Rosecrans St. in the Roseville-Fleetridge area was robbed on Tuesday just after 12:30 p.m. when a man handed a bank teller a demand note to hand over money, according to Sergeant Ramona Hastings of the San Diego police department.

The thief walked out of the credit union branch on Emerson Street with an undisclosed amount of stolen cash where he was met by his accomplice. San Diego police were called by an employee of the bank and a customer who followed the thieves onto Rosecrans Street while keeping a safe distance between them.

Richard Wayne Lewis, 40 and Steven Alfaro, 38 were arrested for the San Diego theft crime and taken into custody on suspicion of robbery. The stolen money was given back to the credit union.

2 In Custody For Credit Union Robbery, 10news.com, February 17, 2010

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A San Diego Woman was taken into custody after an alleged attack on an elderly woman whom she knew during a Vista home invasion robbery, according to San Diego police.

The violent assault happened on Tuesday about 12:00 p.m. when Carey Lynn Barton, 47, came into the Vista home of a 71 year- old woman through a door that was unlocked. The attacker hit the elderly victim in the face while holding a knife to her throat; she tried to strangle the victim with a belt while demanding property.

The alleged attacker fled the scene in the victim’s car with stolen credit cards and warned the elderly victim not to report the San Diego violent crime to the police, according to Sheriff’s Detective Mike Hamerschlag.

Barton was taken into custody to Vista jail on Wednesday morning around 8:30 a.m. She was booked on assault with a deadly weapon, battery, dissuading a witness and suspicion of residential burglary and drug charges.

VISTA: Parolee arrested in attack on elderly woman, North County Times, February 10, 2010

Woman Attacks Another During Home Robbery, 10News.com, February 11, 2010

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An 18 year-old Los Angeles gang member was sentenced to 31 years in state prison for the San Diego fatal shooting of a man after an argument took place outside a San Diego bar.

Christopher Hawthorne, 25 was shot down by Alexander Rafael Garcia who was 17 at the time of the San Diego murder. The teen pled guilty last December to voluntary manslaughter. The violent crime occurred January 9, 2009 after a fight broke outside O’Connell’s bar on Morena Boulevard.

“Your actions that night affected a lot of people, things that we enjoy in life just don’t matter anymore. I hope your stay in prison is painful and lonely,” said Clay Hawthorne Sr., the father of the victim.

According to Garcia’s criminal defense attorney, he belonged to a gang called Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice. The San Diego violent crime was committed for the benefit of the gang he was involved with. Garcia was sentenced to 31 years in state prison for the fatal shooting.

Teen Gang Member Sentenced For Fatal Shooting, 10news.com, February 9, 2010

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A man is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at gunpoint and stealing her computer and cell phone.

According to the San Diego Police Department, Londrea Raymond, 19, is accused of sexually attacking a 26 year-old woman on Wednesday after following her to her apartment in the 4500 block of Vandever Avenue in Tierrasanta about 10:40 p.m.

After entering her apartment the victim closed the door behind her. The suspect then walked into the apartment and sexually assaulted her. “It appears he may have seen her come into the complex and followed her, said Lt. Rick O’Hanlon. “She was not physically injured but went to a hospital for a sexual exam,” O’Hanlon said.

The suspected thief was taken into custody by San Diego police at the Emerald Hills trolley station on Thursday where he had the victim’s laptop and cell phone in his possession. He was arrested on suspicion of robbery, burglary, kidnapping and sexual assault.

Man Accused In Robbery, Sex Assault To Be Arraigned, 10news.com, February 8, 2010

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