Shooting of Deputy Riverside County: Murder charges against Jesse Navarro for the murder of Deputy Darnell Calhoun

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. (KABC) — A man accused of killing Riverside County Deputy Sheriff Darnell Calhoun is now facing a charge of first-degree murder that potentially puts him eligible for the death penalty.

The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office confirmed it has filed charges against suspect Jesse Navarro, 43, that include a charge of first-degree murder, a charge of attempted murder, related firearms enhancements and the allegations of special circumstances surrounding the murder of a peace officer and the dismissal comprise of a motor vehicle.

Due to the unique circumstances, Navarro faces the death penalty if convicted, although prosecutor Mike Hestrin has not yet decided whether to seek that sentence. Governor Gavin Newsom has also imposed a moratorium on the death penalty in California since 2019.

On Jan. 13, Calhoun was the first local assemblyman to respond to a domestic violence call at Navarro’s home in the Lakeland Village community near Lake Elsinore.

The suspect was identified in the fatal shooting of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy near Lake Elsinore

Investigators say Navarro shot Calhoun multiple times shortly after his arrival.

A second deputy soon arrived and found Calhoun shot dead in the street, fired back and hit Navarro.

Navarro remains on medical treatment for these shooting injuries and has not yet been jailed or charged.

Calhoun was a married father of two, with a third child on the way. His family owns a popular grill restaurant in Murrieta.

It was the second murder of a Riverside County congressman in a few weeks.

In late December, Deputy Isaiah Cordero was shot and killed in a collision with a previously convicted felon. The shooter in that incident was shot dead by deputies after a chase.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.