A 55-year-old convicted felon who shot his ex-girlfriend multiple times at her Eastvale residence, then fled to Texas, eluding capture for almost two months, was sentenced Thursday to 29 years in state prison.
Malik Daron Minnix of Eastvale pleaded guilty last month to attempted murder, firearm assault, domestic violence, violation of a domestic violence restraining order and a sentence-enhancing gun use allegation under a pretrial agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. In exchange for his admissions, prosecutors dropped one felony count and a sentence-enhancing great bodily injury allegation against Minnix.
During a hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice Thursday, Superior Court Judge Joshlyn Pulliam certified the terms of the plea deal and imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Brian Gutierrez, the defendant confronted his former partner, identified in court documents only as “D.S.,” shortly after 10 a.m. on Aug. 15, 2020 at a residence in the 6400 block of Peridot Court, near Osprey Street, and opened fire on her with a handgun, then fled.
Gutierrez said that the victim suffered several wounds and was taken to a hospital, where she underwent surgery. She has since recovered.
Deputies scoured the area for Minnix, but there was no sign of him, according to the sergeant. An arrest warrant was issued five days later, and over the ensuing six weeks, fugitive apprehensions investigators worked on tracking him down.
The defendant was located and taken into custody without incident in Dallas, Texas, on Oct. 4, 2020.
Court records show he had prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, domestic abuse and violating a criminal protective order.