Death Penalty Sought For Lake Elsinore Man Accused In Deputy Killing

LAKELAND VILLAGE, CA — A Lake Elsinore man charged with murder in the shooting death of a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy will now face the death penalty, Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin announced Monday.

Jesse Ceazar Navarro, 43, is charged with one count of murder in the killing of Deputy Darnell Calhoun, 30, who was assigned to the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station. Navarro is also charged with shooting at another Riverside County sheriff’s deputy who came to Calhoun’s aid. Special circumstance allegations attached to the charges — murder of a peace officer and discharge of a firearm from a vehicle with intent to kill — make Navarro eligible for the death penalty, according to Hestrin's office.

The notice of intent to seek the death penalty was filed against Navarro on Friday. Hestrin met with experienced prosecutors to examine and discuss related evidence before making the decision, his office said.

The D.A.'s office customarily waits until after a preliminary hearing to announce whether capital punishment will be sought in murder cases with special circumstances. However, when the cases involve law enforcement personnel or other unusual elements, the decision can come early in the process, years ahead of the trial.

“Deputy Calhoun showed incredible courage during a terrifying situation that unfolded in a matter of seconds,” Hestrin said. “His dedication to the community culminated in a ruthless attack by Navarro that also put the lives of many others at extreme peril.”

According to a sheriff's arrest warrant affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, Calhoun went to the residence in the 18500 block of Hilldale Lane, near Grand Avenue, about 4:30 p.m. Jan. 13 after 911 dispatchers received a call giving indications of what sounded like a domestic altercation at the location, without certainty because the caller abruptly hung up.

Calhoun arrived alone in his patrol vehicle and "contacted several individuals in the driveway of the residence," according to the declaration. "Navarro partially concealed himself behind an open door of his (pickup) truck, holding a handgun out of sight of Deputy Calhoun. Within 17 seconds of Deputy Calhoun arriving on scene, Navarro began shooting at him. Navarro fired multiple rounds at Deputy Calhoun, as Deputy Calhoun fled on foot. Navarro then entered his truck, drove in the direction that Calhoun had fled and continued to fire at him from the truck."

The affidavit indicated Calhoun fired back at the defendant, but "none of the rounds appeared to injure him."

Calhoun was hit several times and collapsed in the street.

Within three minutes, a backup deputy reached the location and encountered Navarro sitting in his pickup at the end of the street. The lawman ordered Navarro to surrender, but the assailant allegedly ignored the commands and instead "exited his truck still armed with the handgun, (firing) multiple times toward this deputy," according to the declaration.

"The deputy fired multiple times toward Navarro, eventually striking Navarro multiple times," the document stated.

Calhoun was taken to Wildomar's Southwest Healthcare Inland Valley Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The other deputy was not injured.

Navarro was initially taken to the same trauma center, but later transferred to the University of San Diego Medical Center, where he underwent surgery and spent weeks in recovery. He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

Navarro is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside. His next court appearance is a mental competency hearing set for Sept. 1 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

Calhoun had been with the sheriff's department and assigned to the Lake Elsinore station barely a year, previously serving with the San Diego Police Department. His parents own Calhoun's Family Texas Barbeque in Murrieta.

Calhoun left behind a pregnant wife and two sons, ages 2 and 4.

Exactly one week prior to Calhoun's slaying, Deputy Isaiah Albert Cordero was laid to rest.

The 32-year-old motorcycle deputy was shot to death on the afternoon of Dec. 29 by a convicted felon during a traffic stop in Jurupa Valley. The man was killed two hours later during a gun battle with deputies attempting to arrest him after a lengthy pursuit that ended on southbound Interstate 15 in Norco.

Cordero's had been the first deputy line-of-duty death in Riverside County in 15 years.

Since Calhoun's death, another deputy, 27-year-old Brett Michael Harris, died while on patrol.

Harris was responding to a call in San Jacinto when he was involved in a collision with a motorist on the morning of May 12.

Harris was laid to rest a month ago.

—Patch Editor Toni McAllister and City News Service contributed to this report.