First Degree Murder: All Homicide Charges Dismissed

Client was charged with first degree murder and multiple weapon offenses in a highly publicized case that received national media attention. After months of litigation, forensic investigation, and expert analysis, all murder charges were dismissed. We secured a plea deal to involuntary manslaughter. No strike. No murder conviction.

The prosecution alleged that two teenagers armed with a pellet rifle deliberately shot a 69-year-old homeless woman in Serra Mesa. The incident was portrayed publicly as a thrill killing—a cold, calculated attack on a vulnerable person. The media coverage was intense and immediate.

Our client, who had just turned 18, was initially painted as the shooter. But that narrative unraveled. We retained independent forensic experts, reconstructed the firing mechanics of the weapon, obtained purchase records, secured GPS data, and thoroughly challenged the police timeline. We uncovered evidence that the co-defendant had lied repeatedly, misled detectives, and attempted to shift blame to our client after being told he wasn’t a suspect.

The pellet rifle in question was not capable of being fired rapidly, and physical evidence contradicted the state’s theory about who fired the shots. Our expert reconstruction showed that the pellets were likely fired from over 100 feet away—while the co-defendant, not our client, was in control of the weapon, vehicle, and location.

Despite the intensity of the allegations and public scrutiny, we pressed forward. We filed pretrial motions, challenged the investigation, and worked with some of the top forensic and medical experts in the country. The facts won out.

All murder charges were dismissed. We were able to negotiate a plea deal to involuntary manslaughter. Client avoided a strike, avoided a murder conviction, and avoided life in prison.