A man and woman suspected of robbing a Riverside senior in a strip mall parking lot and shooting at her and her son when the victims tried to resist were each being held Tuesday in lieu of $1 million bail.
Lanika Shantel Williams, 32, of Los Angeles and Jermaine Lavelle Wheeler, 34, of Moreno Valley were arrested Monday on suspicion of attempted murder, robbery and conspiracy.
Williams is being held at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside, and Wheeler is at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.
“It’s disheartening to think these two criminals felt empowered to come into our city in broad daylight to steal a purse and almost murder two of our community members,” Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez said. “Our hope is for these suspects to feel the full weight of the justice system through actual consequences that matter.”
According to Officer Ryan Railsback, at about 4:15 p.m. Monday, Williams and Wheeler were cruising the parking lot of the Canyon Crest Towne Center at Canyon Crest Drive and Central Avenue in a BMW X5 when they allegedly pulled alongside a senior and her adult son, walking to their vehicle.
Railsback said Williams got out of the car and ordered the elderly woman to hand over her purse.
“Williams pulled the purse from the victim, who then tried to fight off Williams,” the police spokesman said. “The victim’s son also tried pulling the purse from Williams’ grasp, when she produced a black revolver and fired one shot at their heads, narrowly missing both victims.”
The woman let go of her purse, and Williams jumped back into the vehicle, at which point Wheeler allegedly stomped the accelerator and the suspects sped away, according to Railsback.
The parking lot has a network of security surveillance cameras, and investigators obtained images of the BMW and suspects, which they used to develop leads. Riverside County Gang Impact Team personnel assisted with tracking the suspects to a residence in the area of Indian Street and Alessandro Boulevard in Moreno Valley, Railsback said.
He said the pair were spotted at about 6 p.m. Monday sitting in the same vehicle, where Williams was taken into custody without incident. Wheeler tried to run but was quickly apprehended, according to Railsback.
The purse and gun were seized from the BMW, he said.
No background information was available on either suspect.