Two found guilty of Salton City murder
EL CENTRO — Two Indio men were found guilty on Wednesday of murder in connection to the 2016 beating death of a 57-year-old Salton City resident during a home invasion robbery.
After deliberating over the course of about three days, a jury found both Justin Louis Darnell Alford, 31, and Aaron Jackson, 22, guilty of murder, with special circumstances, along with several other counts that also included special circumstances.
Wednesday’s guilty verdict capped a lengthy trial that lasted more than 30 days and which included a total of 39 witnesses, 28 of which testified for the prosecution and 11 for the defense, county Deputy District Attorney Miriam Shoval stated.
Sentencing for Alford and Jackson is scheduled for July 19 at the Superior Court courthouse in El Centro, where at least one victim is expected to give an impact statement, Shoval said.
Aside from being found guilty of murder with the special circumstances of having committed the act during the commission of a robbery and residential burglary, both defendants were also found guilty of robbery, burglary and conspiracy.
Both men’s robbery and burglary convictions also included special allegations of having committed the robbery in a home and the burglary while the residence was occupied.
Both men were found guilty of having beaten to death Donald “Doc” Tarker on May 25, 2016, at his home in the 1100 block of Barbara Avenue.
Both men, along with 37-year-old Indio resident and co-conspirator Kevin Scott, had burglarized Tarker’s home in an attempt to steal marijuana from Tarker, who was licensed to grow medical marijuana at his home.
Scott, who had faced similar charges, had pleaded no contest in January to voluntary manslaughter, two counts of first-degree burglary, one count of second-degree burglary and was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment.
In exchange for his plea, and a promise to cooperate with the prosecution, various other charges including murder and conspiracy were dismissed against Scott, court records stated.
Both Alford and Jackson were also found guilty on Wednesday of battery with serious bodily injury. At the time of the fatal incident, three other individuals were also at Barker’s home and had been subjected to beatings.
Alford was found guilty of two counts of battery with serious bodily injury with special allegations in connection to the beating of two individuals present at Barker’s residence who subsequently required hospitalization.
His convictions for burglary and robbery had also included special allegations of having caused great bodily injuries to three victims.
He was also found guilty of making criminal threats, with special allegations, against three victims, the DA’s Office reported.
Jackson was found guilty of battery with serious bodily injury in connection to the beating of one woman who temporarily lost consciousness.
All three defendants had been detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents on Highway 86 near Avenue 66 in Riverside County on the night in question after a description of their vehicle had been broadcast to authorities.
Marijuana stolen from Tarker’s residence, as well as other items, was reportedly discovered in the possession of the defendants at the time of their arrests, according to court testimony.
Tarker’s residence had been unoccupied for about a month prior to the incident as a result of him having been hospitalized following brain surgery.
He had returned home the day of the incident and was pronounced dead at the scene following the fatal beating, according to court testimony.
“It was a half-baked idea,” Shoval said Friday during her closing argument. “They didn’t think it through.”