Jack in the Box murder ends with 50-year sentence
A 43-year-old man found guilty of shooting and killing a Newport
Beach resident in broad daylight last year was sentenced Friday to 50
years to life in prison.
Ramadan Dokovic of Downey was convicted June 5 of murdering
Miroslav Maric, 49, in a crowded Jack in the Box restaurant parking
lot at the corner of 17th Street and Tustin Avenue on May 18, 2001.
The grisly incident was witnessed by several people, many who
testified during the trial.
The trial also unfolded details about a credit card fraud ring
operated in the Newport-Mesa area by Dokovic’s cousin Mike Dokovic.
Ramadan Dokovic told police that he met Maric, a close associate
of Mike Dokovic, to get stolen Rolex watches from him. He said a
local jeweler was going to pay him $20,000 in exchange for the
watches.
The FBI has issued arrest warrants for both Mike Dokovic and his
brother Amo Dokovic, in connection with the fraud ring.
The defense argued during the trial that Dokovic shot Maric in
self defense. But the prosecution established successfully that
Dokovic murdered Maric while committing a robbery. The act of
demanding the stolen property from Maric and using a gun to do so
itself amounted to armed robbery, the prosecution maintained.
Dokovic originally was scheduled to be sentenced on June 28, but
it was postponed to Friday.
Costa Mesa Police Chief Dave Snowden said he is pleased with the
sentence on the case that investigators say is the most public
shooting in the city’s history.
“It was a complicated case,” he said. “It was the way it happened.
What appeared to be a common fight in the parking lot turned out to
be far more intricate.”
* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be
reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.
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