A woman and three men previously facing robbery charges in the strong-arm robbery of a man in Long Beach were facing murder charges Friday after the victim died from injuries he suffered when he was struck by a passing vehicle following being assaulted and robbed.
The alleged crimes happened about 2:45 p.m. May 6, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
Officers responded to a report of a traffic collision and strong-arm robbery in the 1900 block of Pacific Avenue and found an unconscious man in the road, police said.
The victim was taken to a hospital and was in critical condition, according to the LBPD.
“The preliminary investigation revealed the victim was standing in the roadway when he was struck by a passing vehicle,” according to a police statement. “The driver of the vehicle remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation.
“Further investigation revealed the male victim was robbed and assaulted by three male adult suspects and one female adult suspect on the sidewalk, which resulted in him entering the roadway just prior to the collision.”
The following day, detectives identified and arrested the suspects, identified as Michael Rowe, 27 and Kalaza Easterlin, 23, both of Downey; and Ira Callahan, 53, and Darrell Cutrer, 32, both of Long Beach, police said.
Rowe and Easterlin were arrested near their residence and Callahan and Cutrer in Long Beach.
All four were booked on suspicion of robbery, according to the LBPD.
On May 9, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed felony robbery charges against the suspects.
On June 3, detectives were notified the victim, a 50-year-old Long Beach man whose name has not been released, had died of his injuries and on June 10 murder charges were filed against each of the defendants, according to police and court records.
All four defendants remain in custody, police said.
Cutrer is due in court in Long Beach on Monday for a preliminary hearing setting and the other three are scheduled to appear on July 11 for a preliminary hearing, according to court records.
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