Suspects in Deputy’s Slaying Are Parolees

The two men charged in last week’s slaying of an unarmed, off-duty Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy during a holdup in Buena Park were on parole from state prison and had served time for robbery and weapons charges.

Kevin Dewayne Boyce, 27, accused of firing the fatal shot, and Andre Willis, 30, appeared for arraignment Monday in Fullerton Municipal Court wearing white jail jumpsuits and shackles on their wrists. They agreed to postpone entering pleas until Oct. 3.

Both were arrested in connection with the shooting death of Shayne Daniel York, 26. York was shot in the head Thursday at De’ Cut, a hair salon owned by his fiancee’s sister.

York and his fiancee, Jennifer Parish, also a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, were waiting for haircuts when two men burst into the shop and stole $11, Parish’s engagement ring and other personal belongings.

When the robbers learned that York was a deputy, Boyce allegedly shot him in the back of the head. He died Saturday at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, a few hours after being taken off life-support systems.

The shooting devastated many in the law enforcement community because it appears that York was killed solely because he carried a badge.

Willis and Boyce are reputed members of a Los Angeles-area gang.

Orange County prosecutors filed a five-page felony complaint charging the men with 11 counts of murder, robbery and special circumstance enhancements. Boyce was charged with intentionally killing a peace officer. Prosecutors could seek the death penalty.

Neither prosecutors nor defense attorneys would comment on the charges, saying that they did not want to jeopardize the investigation. Judge W. Michael Hayes agreed with the request by attorneys on both sides that the media not photograph or film the suspects’ faces to avoid compromising the case.

“We don’t want to contaminate the system,” said Barry Post, Willis’ attorney. “Identity is an issue in this case. That’s all I can say.”

Prosecutors had withheld the suspects’ identities since they were arrested Thursday night and released them for the first time at Monday’s court hearing.

Carolyn Kirkwood, who is prosecuting the case, and other attorneys said the request to ban cameras is in part to avoid false witnesses coming forward.

Kirkwood said outside court that authorities are not expecting any more arrests.

Willis had two previous robbery convictions in San Bernardino County and served a six-year sentence from 1988 to 1994. From 1995 to Feb. 8 of this year, he was in state prison after being found guilty of being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

Boyce was convicted in 1989 of robbery and in 1993 of a weapons violation, for which he served time in state prison from 1994 to 1996.

Funeral services for York are scheduled Thursday morning at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Torrance.

Times staff writer Miles Corwin in Los Angeles contributed to this story.