The two men accused of killing a 69-year-old grandfather during a drive-by shooting in West Long Beach were charged Tuesday with murder and a handful of other felonies that could carry the death penalty if they’re convicted, according to authorities.
Rhyan Burrell, 20, and Terrel Warren, 23, shot and killed Jose Raul Corrales on Oct. 9 as he was watering his lawn near Summit Street and Canal Avenue, authorities allege.
Investigators don’t think Corrales was the intended target of the gunfire. They think the shooting was gang-motivated and has something to do with a fight earlier in the day at Cabrillo High School, police said in a statement.
Burrell, who is from Lynwood, and Warren, a Long Beach resident, were both arrested after detectives and SWAT officers served a search warrant in Lynwood Friday.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office filed the murder charges along with special circumstance allegations of murder while lying in wait, murder to further the activities of a criminal street gang and murder by discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle.
Burrell and Warren are also facing one count each of shooting at an occupied motor vehicle and unlawful firearm activity and six counts each of attempted murder. The two are also facing gang allegations, and Warren is facing allegations that he personally and intentionally discharged a handgun.
Corrales had many grandchildren and worked hard as a mechanic to support his family, according to loved ones.
One grandson, Bryan Aguilar, 15, said Corrales was outside with his grandkids on Oct. 9 when a car of young men drove up and asked where they were from. When they said they weren’t part of any gang, the driver of the car drove away, made a U-turn, and briefly parked before opening fire on the group outside the Corrales house, Aguilar said.
Corrales was killed by the gunfire, and detectives later learned another man in a nearby car was also hit but survived and went to a hospital.
Prosecutors will decide later whether they’ll seek the death penalty against Burrell and Warren.
They’re both being held in lieu of more than $2 million bail and are expected to be arraigned on the charges Nov. 19.
Staff writer Valerie Osier contributed to this report.