A man accused of gunning down a 43-year-old Moreno Valley resident exactly two years ago in a possible act of vengeance stemming from a love triangle will stand trial for first-degree murder and other charges.
Michael Dwight Harris, 36, of North Las Vegas allegedly killed Roshadd Johnson in 2024.
Following a preliminary hearing Tuesday at the Riverside Hall of Justice, Riverside County Superior Court Judge William Lebov found there was sufficient evidence to bound Harris over for trial on the murder count and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
The judge set a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for Feb. 10.
During the same hearing, Tatiana Tena Parks pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and was immediately sentenced to five months in county jail and 24 months’ felony probation.
Harris is being held in lieu of $2 million bail at the Benoit Detention Center in Indio.
According to an arrest warrant declaration filed by Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Travis Gilbert, the defendant had been dating Parks, of San Bernardino, who “was also the girlfriend of the victim.”
Shortly before 2 a.m. on Jan. 28, 2024, Harris allegedly drove to Johnson’s house in the 13600 block of Red Mahogany Drive and rang the doorbell, to which a “Ring” security camera was attached, recording everyone who entered the property via the front porch, court papers said.
“When Roshadd opened the door, Michael Harris shot into the residence five times, striking Roshadd several times,” the affidavit stated. “The gunshots also hit (a visitor) in the left thigh, causing injury.”
Harris immediately fled the location, as witnesses called 911, according to the declaration. Deputies and paramedics found Roshadd in grave condition. He was taken to nearby Riverside University Medical Center, where he died six hours later.
The party struck in the thigh, whose identity was not disclosed, was treated for a non-life-threatening wound and ultimately recovered.
“The shooting was captured on video surveillance,” Gilbert wrote. “Warrants were issued for Michael Harris’ (mobile phone) call detail records. The records … showed travel (from Las Vegas) to Moreno Valley, registering near the Red Mahogany address from 1:30 a.m. to 1:46 a.m. on Jan. 28 (2024).”
Over the ensuing two months, Central Homicide Unit detectives pieced together the chain of events, including Harris’ rental of a Nissan Rogue in Las Vegas that had been spotted at the scene of the shooting, the affidavit said.
The evidence led to the issuance of an arrest warrant, which Las Vegas Metro Police officers executed on April 8, 2024, taking Harris and Parks into custody without incident. Each was extradited to California about six months later.
Harris has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County. Background information on Parks was unavailable.