Convicted of 1998 murder, Temecula man exonerated – two arrested
From Riverside County DA’s Office:
RIVERSIDE — Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin announced today Oct. 15, 2018, that a former Temecula man has been exonerated of a 1998 murder conviction and two men have now been arrested for the crime.
On Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office dismissed all charges against 60-year-old Horace Roberts for the murder of Terry Cheek in 1998.
“What happened to Mr. Roberts is tragic,” DA Hestrin said. “We as prosecutors always strive to be vigilant and follow the truth. Once I learned of the new DNA findings, I immediately directed that all charges be dismissed.
Mr. Roberts has my commitment that we will aggressively apply new technologies to past, present and future prosecutions. And I commit to him the resources of our Victim Services Division to help him in rebuilding his life.”
In April 1998, the body of Terry Cheek was found near some rocks along Temescal Canyon Road, near Corona Lake.
Following an extensive investigation by Riverside County Sheriff’s investigators, Horace Roberts, the victim’s boyfriend and co-worker, was arrested and later charged by the DA’s Office with her murder. In July 1999, he was convicted by a Riverside County jury of second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years-to-life in prison.
After the conviction, the California Innocence Project took on Mr. Roberts’ case and began investigating. Recent advances in DNA technology resulted in the California Innocence Project obtaining additional DNA testing that was not available during the original investigation.
The DNA testing provided additional evidence which the California Innocence Project brought to the attention of DA Hestrin’s Conviction Review Committee. The Conviction Review Committee closely examined the newly discovered evidence and a decision was made by DA Hestrin to reopen the investigation into the murder of Terry Cheek.
Extensive investigation by the DA’s Office Bureau of Investigation ultimately led DA Hestrin to dismiss the case against Horace Roberts, and agree to request a finding of factual innocence. This hearing is set today at 2:15 p.m. in Dept. 61 at the Hall of Justice in Riverside.
As a result of the new DNA evidence, the DA’s Bureau of Investigation was able to reopen the investigation into the murder of Terry Cheek. On Oct. 12, 2018, DA Investigators arrested Joaquin Lateee Leal, DOB: 12-31-65, of Compton; and Googie Rene Harris Sr., DOB: 8-5-56, of Jurupa Valley. Harris was married to Terry Cheek and Leal was the victim’s nephew by marriage.
The DA’s Office on Oct. 15, 2018, filed murder charges against Harris and Leal. Both men are scheduled to be arraigned in case RIF1804461, at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, in Dept. 61 at the Hall of Justice in Riverside.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 14 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.