Accused Murder Suspect In RivCo Deputy's Fatal Shooting To Face Mental Competency Trial

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A Southwest Riverside County jury is likely to be seated Thursday for the mental competency trial of a man accused of ambushing and killing a 30-year-old Riverside County sheriff's deputy responding to a domestic violence call.

Jesse Ceazar Navarro of Lake Elsinore is charged with murder of a peace officer, attempted murder of a peace officer, special circumstance allegations of killing a law enforcement official and lying in wait, as well as sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations, for the January 2023 death of Deputy Darnell Calhoun.

The Riverside County District Attorney's Office is seeking capital punishment for Navarro, provided he's convicted.

Based on a battery of psychiatric evaluations in 2023 and 2024, his attorney petitioned the court for a mental competency trial, also known as a Penal Code section 1369 trial, and Superior Court Judge F. Paul Dickerson last year found there were sufficient grounds to proceed with one.

Since September, jury selection has been underway, off and on, at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

The District Attorney's Office confirmed Wednesday that a panel is expected to be seated Thursday, though it was unclear exactly when opening statements may be scheduled, with the Christmas break only a couple of weeks away.

If Navarro is found incompetent to stand trial on the felony allegations, his case would be referred to correctional health, and he'd likely be committed to a state hospital for treatment on a timetable determined by the court.

He's being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail.

According to a sheriff's arrest warrant affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, Calhoun went to a residence in the 18500 block of Hilldale Lane, near Grand Avenue, at about 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2023, after 911 dispatchers received a call indicating 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 affidavit.

"Navarro partially concealed himself behind an open door of his (pickup) truck, holding a handgun out of sight of Deputy Calhoun," the document stated. "Within 17 seconds of Deputy Calhoun arriving on scene, Navarro began shooting at him. Navarro fired multiple rounds at Deputy Calhoun, (who) 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 revealed Calhoun fired back at the defendant, but "none of the rounds appeared to injure him."

The lawman was hit several times and collapsed in the street. He was taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A backup deputy engaged Navarro in a gunfight within a couple minutes of Calhoun's "deputy under fire" call, wounding the defendant. The responding deputy wasn't injured.

Navarro has since fully recovered.

Calhoun is survived by his widow, Vanessa, and young sons Russell, Troy and Malcolm.

The defendant has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

Related:

Deputy Killed In Ambush Being Remembered In Lake Elsinore

RivCo Sheriff's Deputy Darnell Calhoun Fatally Shot In Line Of Duty

Death Penalty Sought For Lake Elsinore Man Accused In Deputy Killing