A man accused of ambushing and killing a 30-year-old Riverside County sheriff’s deputy in Lake Elsinore must stand trial for capital murder and other offenses, a judge ruled Friday.
Jesse Ceazar Navarro, 45, of Lake Elsinore allegedly killed Deputy Darnell Calhoun in 2023.
Following a preliminary hearing at the Southwest Justice Center Friday, Superior Court Judge F. Paul Dickerson found there were grounds to bound Navarro over for trial on one count each of first-degree murder of a peace officer and attempted murder of a peace officer, as well as special circumstance allegations of killing a law enforcement official and lying in wait, with sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations,
Dickerson scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for April 17 at the Murrieta courthouse.
The District Attorney’s Office is seeking capital punishment for the defendant, provided he’s convicted.
Navarro is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail.
Following a mental competency trial that ended in early January, a jury returned a verdict that the defendant is not psychologically impaired and understands the allegations against him.
“The defendant is trying to manipulate the justice system,” Deputy District Attorney Marcus Garrett said at the outset of the trial.
Navarro’s attorney, Lori Myers, argued her client had a mental deficiency validated medically, possibly stemming from “bullet fragments” still in his head.
Garrett said Navarro had schemed with loved ones to give the appearance of a mental deficiency.
“Mr. Navarro is able to multi task and retain information,” Garrett said.
He referenced a brain scan conducted at UC Irvine Medical Center, after which Dr. Mark Tran issued a finding that there are “no significant areas of decreased activity in the cerebrum.”
According to a sheriff’s arrest warrant affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, Calhoun went to a residence in the 18500 block of Hilldale Lane, near Grand Avenue, about 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, after 911 dispatchers received a call indicating a domestic altercation at the location.
Calhoun arrived alone and “contacted several individuals in the driveway of the residence,” according to the affidavit.
“Navarro partially concealed himself behind an open door of his (pickup) truck, holding a handgun out of sight of Deputy Calhoun,” the document stated. “Within 17 seconds of Deputy Calhoun arriving on scene, Navarro began shooting at him. Navarro fired multiple rounds at Deputy Calhoun, who fled on foot. Navarro then entered his truck, drove in the direction that Calhoun had fled and continued to fire at him from the truck.”
The affidavit revealed Calhoun shot back, but “none of the rounds appeared to injure” Navarro.
The lawman was hit several times and collapsed in the street. He was taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
A backup deputy engaged Navarro in a gunfight a couple minutes after Calhoun’s “deputy under fire” call, wounding the defendant. The responding deputy wasn’t injured.
Calhoun is survived by his widow, Vanessa, and young sons Russell, Troy and Malcolm.
The defendant has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.