People v. Stojsich CA4/2

I. BACKGROUND

A. Factual History

On August 26, 2014, Stojsich and a friend named John Rodriguez went to a Circle

K convenience store to pick up cigarettes and other items. When they arrived, they saw

Jeremy Stroud and his wife Danielle White sitting outside on a curb. After greeting one

another, Stroud said he and White were looking for crystal meth, and Rodriguez said he

could supply some later that day.

When Stojsich and Rodriguez returned to Stojsich’s home, they and others began

conversing about Stroud. Stojsich had stated then and other times that Stroud had

“snitched” on Stojsich’s older brother Robert Eddie some time ago (specifically, that

Stroud had testified against Eddie), which led to Eddie being incarcerated. Because of

that, Stojsich said Stroud “had to go,” which Rodriguez understood as meaning that

Stroud needed to be killed.

Stojsich and Rodriguez left to go meet Stroud and White later that day. While

driving to a gas station, Stojsich and Rodriguez saw Stroud and White walking on the

street. Stroud and White got into the vehicle, and Stojsich and Rodriguez drove them to

another person’s house, where Rodriguez sold Stroud the crystal meth.…