A Covina man suspected of shooting a motor deputy in the back in West Covina last week was accused of murder by prosecutors more than two decades ago for the stabbing death of his boss at a Jiffy Lube in Azusa, according to details of the October 2001 encounter contained in court records.
Raymundo Duran Jr. was charged with the murder of Fadi “Fred” Jabbour, 27, of Glendora, but took a deal and pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, court records show.
In 2001, the then 25-year-old Duran was a divorced father of three, lived in Pomona and worked at the Jiffy Lube in the 800 block of East Alosta Avenue where Jabbour was the manager.
Joseph Resk testified at Duran’s Feb. 25, 2002 preliminary hearing that he went to the Jiffy Lube for an oil change for his cousin’s car the morning of Oct. 23, 2001. He knew Jabbour, and they shook hands. Jabbour then reportedly went inside the business. Resk said he saw Jabbour come out minutes later, according to the court records.
“He put his hand on his breast, his chest, and he said, ‘He stabbed me,’” Resk said.
Resk told Jabbour to sit on the floor, then also sat on the floor. Jabbour put his head on Resk’s leg.
“And I was talking to him, ‘Fadi, the ambulance is coming. Stay with me.’” Jabbour died at a hospital from a stab wound to the chest.
Resk saw a man in a white car but couldn’t identify him as Duran.
The version of the fatal confrontation only came from Duran, according to court records.
Duran showed up at the Jiffy Lube around 11 a.m. to drop off his pants uniform for the cleaners and pick up some other clothing, Azusa police Detective Bruce Badoni said during the preliminary hearing.
Duran told the detective Jabbour approached him and they had a discussion over his being late to work on an ongoing basis. He discovered he was supposed to work that day and had arranged with Jabbour that he would drop off his children with a babysitter and then return in a few minutes, Badoni said.
Duran initially said there hadn’t been a problem with Jabbour but later admitted to Badoni there had been a problem, that Jabbour had confronted him and was upset because Duran was late on an ongoing basis.
The defense argued the stabbing was self-defense.
Duran was checking his schedule in the hallway and Jabbour came up to him, allegedly cursed at him and asked him what was going on here, Jorge Guzman, Duran’s attorney, said during the hearing.
Duran told Jabbour, “Sorry dude. I thought I was off.”
Jabbour allegedly said he was “tired of this (expletive), what is the (expletive) wrong with you” and began walking toward Duran, according to Gomez. Jabbour had also began to raise his arms, he added.
Duran became intimidated and removed a knife from his rear pants pocket, Gomez said.
Jabbour swung at Duran who put both arms up to block the punch and while doing so, the knife thrust into Jabbour’s chest once, Gomez said
Duran didn’t know Jabbour had died until Badoni told him at the end of the police interview.
The case didn’t go to trial because Duran took a plea deal. On May 17, 2002, Duran was sentenced to 11 years for the voluntary manslaughter plus a year for using a dangerous weapon, a knife. It wasn’t clear how much time he actually served.
The 47-year-old Duran now faces a life sentence if convicted of the April 22 attempted murder of Deputy Samuel Aispuro and other charges.
Aispuro was on his motorcycle stopped at a red light on Barranca Avenue near East Garvey Avenue North in West Covina when Duran allegedly pulled up next to the deputy’s motorcycle and shot him in the back around 2:40 p.m. on April 22, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The deputy’s bulletproof vest saved him, Sheriff Robert Luna said.
The California Highway Patrol arrested Duran later that day on suspicion of DUI and weapons charges after he turned up at the San Onofre Inspection facility in San Diego County. CHP officers also found a pistol in his car.
Authorities have not revealed a motive behind the shooting.
As of Monday, Duran was being held at the Vista Detention Facility in Vista.
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