Murder and attempted murder charges were filed Friday against a 20-year-old Beaumont resident who allegedly gunned down a man early Monday and remained on the lam for two days before being arrested in San Diego County.
Alyais Lavante Jahneal Harper was taken into custody by members of the Riverside County Gang Impact Team in Oceanside on Wednesday in connection with the slaying of Trejean Malik Williams Cullors, 22. Police did not disclose what led them to connect Harper to the killing.
Cullors was found at 12:56 a.m. Monday, lying wounded in the street in the vicinity of Fifth Street and Beaumont Avenue, and died at a hospital on Thursday, police said.
Witnesses reported hearing gunshots “and observed a vehicle leaving the area at a high rate of speed.”
The criminal complaint charges Harper with Cullors’ murder, as well as the attempted murders of three other men, all referred to as John Does in court documents. Police did not say if those men were struck by gunfire or fired upon, but not struck.
Harper also faces a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait, making him potentially eligible for the death penalty, should prosecutors decide to pursue capital punishment.
Harper is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. He was slated to be arraigned Friday afternoon at the Banning courthouse, but the proceeding was delayed until next Friday.
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