A 43-year-old Fullerton man was charged Thursday with fatally shooting another man in Stanton on Easter Sunday.
Jeffrey Lynn Clayton was charged with murder with sentencing enhancements for discharge of a gun causing death and committing crimes while out on bail.
Clayton is accused of killing 37-year-old Anthony Lee Carlos of Fullerton, according to Sgt. Gerard McCann of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies were called to Main and Pacific streets at about 5:30 a.m. Sunday after Carlos’ body was found, McCann said.
As deputies chased down leads they came across an illegal gambling house and detained about 50 people near Cerritos and Flower avenues, McCann added.
Six people were arrested on outstanding warrants in that area, including Clayton, but it was not immediately clear whether Clayton had any link to the alleged gambling activity, McCann said.
Orange County Jail records show Clayton was booked on Jan. 10 and released on March 29, then booked again on Monday and released Tuesday for separate alleged offenses.
Clayton posted $25,000 bail April 2 in a pending case of felon in possession of body armor and possession of a hard drug with two or more prior convictions, both felonies, according to court records.
Investigators believe Carlos and Clayton were acquainted before the shooting, McCann said.
In a probation violation petition filed in January, he was accused of vehicle theft, driving without a license, obstructing Garden Grove police, and hit and run with property damage. Clayton was released on bail on Dec. 18 but failed to report to probation officers and was arrested again on New Year’s Eve in Anaheim, according to the probation violation petition.
Nine days later he was arrested again by Garden Grove police. He tested positive for PCP last September, probation officials said.
“Of serious concern is his continued reckless behavior in the community, coupled with his history of PCP use and association with individuals involved in criminal activity, including possession of firearms and ammunition,” probation officials wrote in the petition. “He appears to disregard both the court and his probation officer by repeatedly violating the law while engaging in reckless behavior and disregarding the terms of his court orders. His release into the community without accountability poses a significant risk to public safety.”
His criminal history includes drug possession, identity theft, passing bad checks and mail theft.
Lee had a pending case for robbery and was next due in court for a pretrial hearing May 15.