Vallejo man gets 14 years in home break-in death

A Vallejo man was sentenced to 14 years in state prison for the death of his friend, who was shot and killed after the two broke into a Dublin man's home in what police called a home invasion robbery attempt.

Rickey White, 31, pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Adrianna Marie Navarro, 28, also of Vallejo. Navarro was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend after she and White, who was also wounded, allegedly broke into the man's Dublin home Jan. 1, 2020.

White was originally charged with murder under a legal theory that allows a cohort to a crime to be charged when the victim uses lawful self-defense against the perpetrators.

The Dublin resident told police that he looked through the peephole, saw only Navarro and cracked the door. That's when Navarro and White burst in, with White carrying a gun, according to court records.

During the fracas that ensued, the resident, who was also armed, fired his gun at Navarro and White. Police said at the time

White fired a shot as he was running from the residence, but didn't hit anyone.

White's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Kathleen Ryals, said in a statement to this newspaper that her client was attempting to protect Navarro as she left a “volatile relationship” and that the Dublin resident confronted them with a loaded gun when they arrived. She said White was hit with gunfire as he ran from the home but stayed to try to save Navarro after realizing she'd been mortally wounded.

“This case is a tragedy any way you look at it,” Ryals said in a written statement. She later added that, “From 2020 until now, (White) has wanted to take full responsibility for his part in this tragic case. Mr. White accepted the 14year prison term with the hope that it would bring some element of closure to all involved and as a reflection of his deep remorse.”

White accepted the plea in April and was formally sentenced in May, court records show. He remains in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, awaiting transfer to the state prison system. His next court date, a restitution hearing, has been set for late June.