South Bay Shooting Victim was Sought For Questioning in Homicides

TORRANCE, CA - A 20-year-old man fatally shot by a Torrance jewelry store owner during an attempted robbery was a "person of interest" in a double homicide and other crimes in the San Bernardino County community of Apple Valley, authorities said Thursday.

Keon Bailey died at the scene of the shooting that occurred about noon Tuesday at Leilani's Jewelers, 18099 Prairie Ave.

Torrance police Sgt. Paul Kranke said the Bailey was armed when he entered the jewelry store, but police don't believe he fired any shots during the attempted robbery.

On Thursday afternoon, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department announced that Bailey was a person of interest in the deaths of Louis and Rose Giuntini, ages 95 and 92 respectively, whose bodies were discovered on the afternoon of Feb. 29 in their residence in the 19900 block State Highway 18, Outer Highway.

According to a sheriff's statement, investigators "collected evidence that leads them to believe they have identified a person of interest in this investigation. However, confirmation of that evidence has not yet been scientifically determined."

In addition to the double homicide, Bailey was linked to three recent crimes in Apple Valley, according to the sheriff's department, which said "certain evidence recovered from each scene is consistent in all locations."

One of those crimes was an armed robbery that occurred Feb. 28 about 10:55 a.m. at Neils Donuts in the 15700 block of Tuscola Road in Apple Valley.

"Surveillance video from the donut shop was recovered and positive identification of the suspect, Keon Bailey, was confirmed on March 9th," according to the sheriff's department.

Evidence collected at the scene of a March 6 home invasion robbery in the 15600 block of Myalon Road "is consistent with the donut shop robbery and the homicide," the statement said.

Details on the third crime were not released by the sheriff's department, which said Bailey "was found to be in possession of property that was reported stolen from victims in Apple Valley."

--City News Service, photo via Shutterstock