Four shot, two dead in La Cresta after “botched” home invasion robbery

LA CRESTA, Calif. — Authorities say a “botched” home invasion robbery led to a deadly shootout between the home’s four occupants and three would-be robbers early Saturday morning, Dec. 26 in La Cresta, west of Murrieta and south of Lake Elsinore.

Although their investigation is ongoing, officials have said four people were shot, including two who died at the scene. Officials have also said one of the people killed was a resident of the home, while the other deceased individual was one of at least three men who had attempted to rob the home’s occupants.

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Deputies from the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to a private residence in the 37000 block of Calle de Lobo around 4 a.m., after receiving reports of a shooting, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Ben Ramirez has since said of the fatal encounter and ongoing investigation.

When deputies arrived they made contact with two uninjured male residents of the home who directed them into the residence where officials found four men with gunshot wounds.

“Two males had succumbed to their wounds, and two males were transported to a local hospital, also suffering from gunshot wounds,” said Ramirez.

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While deputies secured the area as a crime scene, investigators from the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station and Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded and ultimately assumed the investigation.

“The investigation determined this to be a botched home invasion robbery, involving the suspects and residents to have exchanged gunfire,” explained Ramirez.

“One of the surviving males and one of the deceased males were determined to be suspects who forced entry into the residence and began assaulting one of the occupants inside, leading to the shooting,” Ramirez continued. “At least one additional suspect fled the residence and drove away in an unknown make vehicle.”

Neither the deceased victim or suspect have been publicly identified, pending further investigation and notification of the men’s families.

“The investigation is currently ongoing and no further information will be released at this time,” said Ramirez.

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Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to call Investigator Stites at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff Station at (951) 245-3300 or Investigator Button with the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777. Callers can refer to incident file number F203610004 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s Homicide Tipline online form.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.


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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 49, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; 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 30 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 18 grandchildren.