A jury on Friday, Dec. 20, convicted a man of a fatal shooting during a confrontation and fight at a condo complex in Covina four years ago.
Jurors deliberated for an hour before finding Trevor Thompson guilty of the first-degree murder of 38-year-old Joey Casias as well as two counts of assault with a firearm and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to Deputy District Attorney Phil Stirling who is one of the prosecutors in the case.
They also found true the special circumstance allegation that Thompson committed the murder to avoid arrest and the allegation he personally used a firearm.
The 37-year-old Thompson returns to Pomona Superior Court on Jan. 31 for sentencing. He faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison without parole plus about 50 years, Stirling said.
The fatal shooting happened the night of Dec. 21, 2021 when Casias joined two teens to confront Thompson after a neighbor witnessed him rummaging inside a BMW parked outside their home, according to testimony. There was a fight during the confrontation when Thompson shot Casias, killing him.
Thompson’s lawyer, Anthony Cavalluzzi, told the jury during opening statements this was self defense. His client didn’t pull a gun until he was hit and kneed, he said.
“What the case is really about is three individuals who decided to take the law into their hands, and that is not justice,” Cavalluzzi said. This wasn’t helping but hunting, he added.
But Covina police Detective Oswaldo Preciado said the blood trail, the location of the casings along with the bullet strikes show Casias was being followed and shot in the back.
“That is not self defense,” Preciado said.
Casias’ neighbor, Matthew Nanos, testified he saw Thompson rummaging inside the BMW parked outside the Nanos’ home in the 1100 block of North Charter Drive the night of Dec. 21, 2021. A co-worker of Nanos’ mother bought the BMW for his daughter and parked it there.
Nanos called a friend, Jason Mares, relayed what happened and asked him to come over. Both were then 17.
They drove around the area and spotted Thompson at a condo complex in the 1800 block of East Covina Boulevard.
When Casias came home, Nanos told him what he saw. Casias told his wife to take their children and that he was going to help the teens, according to testimony.
He and the teens drove in their separate vehicles to the condo complex. They approached Thompson. Nanos was on the phone with 911. Casias and Mares followed Thompson in the complex.
Mares testified he saw Thompson in a fighter stance when he turned a corner and Mares asked if he was going to assault a minor. Thompson swung at Mares who ducked and hit him in the face.
“He kind of falls or stumbles and puts his hands along my waist with his head on my left side,” Mares said. He got Thompson in a headlock.
Thompson bit Mares’ thumb. Casias kneed Thompson.
Mares heard a gunshot seconds later and ran. Three more shots rang out.
Casias, who was shot twice, died at the scene.