People v. Metoyer CA4/3

STATEMENT OF FACTS

Overview This case involves two groups of young men who belonged to rival gangs and who crossed paths at the Rio Rancho Super Mall in Moreno Valley on Christmas Eve of 2018. The first group consisted of defendants Metoyer and Johnson and two other members of the Edgemont gang, Jovante Butler and Jalin Johnson.1 The second group consisted of Justin Ruff, Keionedre Jones, Noe Reyes, and Jzhiad Christopher, all members of the Sex Cash gang. The two gangs were bitter enemies and often battled for turf in the Moreno Valley area. During their encounter at the mall, Metoyer assaulted Ruff and Jones with a firearm. Then Metoyer and Johnson both opened fire on Reyes and Christopher in their vehicle. Reyes was killed and Christopher was wounded in the gunfire. However, the prosecution was unable to prove which shots hit which victim, so the identity of the actual killer was never established. The Shooting On the night of the shooting, defendants’ group arrived at the mall at around five o’clock. Surveillance video shows Metoyer, Butler and Jalin walking in the parking lot toward the mall entrance as Johnson slowly

1 Because Jalin shares the same last name as defendant…