District Attorney Mike Hestrin is seeking the death penalty for a Lake Elsinore man charged with the murder of Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Darnell Calhoun.
Jesse Ceazar Navarro, 43, is charged with one count of murder for the killing of Deputy Calhoun, 30, who was assigned to the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station.
The special circumstance allegations attached to the murder charge, murder of a peace officer and discharge of a firearm from a vehicle with intent to kill, make Navarro eligible for the death penalty, Hestrin said.
On Jan. 13, Deputy Calhoun was dispatched to a residence in the 18500 block of Hilldale Lane in the City of Lake Elsinore regarding a domestic disturbance. Navarro is accused of firing multiple shots at Deputy Calhoun moments after he arrived on the scene, striking Calhoun several times.
Deputy Calhoun was a husband and a father of two young boys and a third baby boy on the way.
“Deputy Calhoun showed incredible courage during a terrifying situation that unfolded in a matter of seconds,” Hestrin said. “His dedication to the community culminated in a ruthless attack by Navarro that also put the lives of many others at extreme peril.”
Navarro has also been charged with shooting at the deputy who came to Calhoun’s aid.
