Glendora man charged with murder, multiple felonies in Covina shooting, police standoff
A man accused of fatally shooting a good Samaritan who confronted him after a car break-in in Covina last week was charged Monday with murder, authorities said.
Trevor Howard Thompson, a 34-year-old Glendora resident, also faces one count each of attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, attempted carjacking, second-degree burglary of vehicle, resisting an executive officer, vandalism and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
Thompson was arrested Wednesday after an hours-long standoff with Covina police in the 5100 block of Bonnie Cove Avenue, authorities said. He fled into an apartment complex and refused to surrender for nearly four hours, according to the Covina Police Department. He eventually climbed out of a patio area and tried to flee on foot.
Officers fired less-lethal rounds to subdue Thompson and arrested him, police said. They recovered a handgun, which the district attorney’s office identified as a Colt .45.
The killing was part of a series of violent crimes Dec. 21 that police attribute to Thompson.
The victim was identified as Joey Casias, a father of three who had been preparing to take his kids to Disneyland
That night, a group of residents including Joey Manuel Casias confronted Thompson after he reportedly broke into a parked BMW, prosecutors said. Police said he also tried to carjack a person and attacked another man, then opened fire, fatally wounding 38-year-old Casias.
“This is an especially heartbreaking incident since Mr. Casias was simply acting as a good Samaritan,” said Dist. Atty. George Gascón. “As we seek to ensure accountability, we also will make every possible service available to the victims and their families.”
Thompson remained in custody Monday night with bail set at $5.2 million, Covina police said.
He was scheduled for arraignment Monday at L.A. County Superior Court in Pomona, but the hearing was continued to Tuesday, prosecutors said.
Further information on the case was not available Monday night.
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