A man was sentenced Thursday to 15 years to life in state prison for the death of a liquor store employee who authorities said was thrown from the hood of the defendant’s car in Long Beach after hanging on for about three blocks.
Jamal “Mookie” Darby, 35, was convicted of second-degree murder for Victor Talavera’s July 23, 2020, death.
Jurors acquitted Darby of a robbery charge.
Talavera, who worked at a liquor store in the 300 block of West Anaheim Street, tried to prevent Darby from taking items from the business, Long Beach police said soon after the victim’s killing.
“In his efforts to stop the thief, he climbed on the hood of the suspect’s vehicle,” according to a Long Beach Police Department statement. “The suspect drove with the pedestrian on the hood for approximately three blocks before maneuvering the vehicle to get the pedestrian off the hood.”
The 57-year-old store employee, a Long Beach resident, fell onto the eastbound lanes of Anaheim Street and died at the scene.
Police subsequently released video footage of the suspect and vehicle, which they described as a gray or silver four-door sedan.
Darby was arrested about three weeks later near his home while driving the car that detectives believe was used in the crime, and the vehicle was impounded to be processed for evidence, according to Long Beach police.