COURTS & CRIMES

in all directions.

For questions on the project/ construction updates listed, please contact Philip Southard, Public Information and Legislative Affairs Officer, at 951-746-0654 or at psouthard@cityofmenifee.us

RCTC

RCTC submitted six applications last month to request $24 million from federal funding sources for a collection of passenger rail and highway projects. The projects are designed to help improve mobility options for residents in Riverside County and the region.

Three funding requests are for Coachella Valley Rail, the proposed 144-mile passenger rail corridor between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley, with stops in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. This oncein-a-generation project is critically important for the Inland Southern California region, which faces heavy traffic congestion daily.

RCTC is requesting Congressionally Directed Spending funding totaling $5 million each from U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla and a Community Project Funding request for $5 million from U.S. Representative Ken Calvert, for a total of $15 million. This will help fund in-depth engineering and environmental studies that must be completed to advance the project.

Tony Ault can be reached at tault@reedermedia.com

Felon convicted of killing girlfriend, fleeing to Vegas with young son

City News Service

Special to Valley News

A convicted felon who fatally shot his girlfriend and then fled to Las Vegas with his and the victim’s 2-year-old son is now facing a state prison sentence of 50 years to life.

A Murrieta jury on Thursday, April 27, convicted Celestine John Stoot Jr. 44, of Lake Elsinore of the July 2021 slaying of 43-year-old Natasha Denise Barlow of San Jacinto.

After deliberating less than a day, jurors found Stoot guilty of first-degree murder, child cruelty, being a convicted felon in possession of a loaded firearm and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.

The verdicts were returned to Riverside County Superior Court Judge Timothy Freer Thursday afternoon, April 27. He scheduled the defendant’s sentencing for

June 2 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

Stoot is being held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center.

According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney’s Office, Stoot and Barlow were living together at his residence in the 17600 block of Hayes Avenue, along with several of her young children from a prior relationship and their son, also named Celestine, but commonly called “C.J.”

On July 4, 2021, Stoot and Barlow attended a Fourth of July party at a friend’s house, where the couple got into an argument stemming from what the defendant considered her disrespectful attitude, mainly “talking back to him” when he told her to do something, the brief said.

The conflict escalated before Stoot and Barlow went to bed, leading to a physical confrontation, during which he struck her over the head with a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol, court papers said.

After hitting her several times, the defendant shot her through the neck, and she died on the bedroom floor. The bullet went through a wall into the children’s room, but none were injured, according to the brief. Stoot fled the residence with C.J. but later returned after his cousin, identified in court papers as “D.J.,” picked him up in Perris. The defendant retrieved belongings from his house, after which his cousin allowed him to take her vehicle, dropping her at a residence in Moreno Valley before heading with his son to Las Vegas. During the predawn hours of July 5, sheriff’s deputies received a report — the person who made the call wasn’t identified in court documents — that Barlow had been fatally shot, and investigators went to the house, immediately identifying Stoot as the shooter.

A statewide Amber Alert was issued, asking the public to be on the lookout for the felon and child and providing a description of the car he was driving.

Authorities captured Stoot with his son in Las Vegas the following afternoon. The fugitive was taken into custody and C.J., who was unharmed, was placed in the care of loved ones.

Detectives interviewed Stoot, who gave them different versions of what transpired, including that Barlow had become enraged during their quarrel, grabbing the .45-caliber handgun from a bedroom table.

“(The defendant said) Natasha ... pointed it at him and said, ‘I’m tired of your (expletive),’” according to the brief. “He was able to remove the firearm from her grasp, but in doing so, he

Man guilty of killing three boys after ‘doorbell ditch’ prank

City News Service

Special to Valley News

Sentencing is set for July 14 for a Temescal Valley man convicted of ramming a car occupied by six teenagers, causing the vehicle to crash and kill half of the boys, after the teens had played “doorbell ditch” at the defendant’s house.

A jury on Friday, April 28, found 45-year-old Anurag Chandra guilty of three counts of firstdegree murder and three counts of attempted murder, The PressEnterprise reported. He faces life in prison without parole for causing the deaths of Daniel Hawkins, Jacob Ivascu and Drake Ruiz, all 16, on Jan. 19, 2020. Ivascu was from Riverside; the other two were from Corona. Friends and relatives crowded into the courtroom at the Riverside County Hall of Justice to hear the verdicts, The Press-Enterprise reported.

“Tough verdict,” defense attorney David Wohl said. “There is a lot of passion behind this case and sometimes it plays into the verdict.”

Cleaning Services

Looking for a person that can hand wax my tile floors. 760-941-1876

Employment

**Now Hiring ** Receptionist Position -

A 13-year-old boy, 14-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man, who was at the wheel of the car that was struck, suffered moderate to major injuries in the crash and were treated at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar. They have since recovered to varying degrees.

According to California Highway Patrol investigators and prosecutors, the boys were having a Sunday night sleepover at one of their homes and decided to try a “doorbell ditch” prank in the neighborhood, on Modjeska

For Military Stuff Old military stuff bought Buy old military stuff - all types & condition. Call or text Bob 760-450-8498 historybuyer.com Office Space for Rent Beautiful offices for rent at Hilltop Spiritual Center, 331 E Elder St, call 760-723-8291 Tue-Thur 10 AM - 4 PM. Starting at $500. Real Estate - For Rent LOW RV RENT! New Management! New Ownership! Beautiful Facilities! Pool, Spa, Champ. Shuffleboard, Billiards, Card Room, & MORE! **$697/ month** CALL NOW! (951) 925-2515

Celestine John Stoot Jr. Valley News/Riverside Co. Sherif’s Dept. photo accidentally pulled the trigger and shot her. He said he did not call for help because he was scared.”

The defendant has prior convictions for gun assault, domestic violence, possession of drugs for sale and witness intimidation.

Summit Road in the Temescal Valley, just south of Corona.

Shortly after 10 p.m., five of them piled into a Toyota Prius parked on Modjeska Summit, while another went to Chandra’s residence and rang the bell several times, investigators said. The youth then ran to the Prius, which raced away from the location.

According to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, Chandra “chased after the Prius in his 2019 Infinity Q50.” CHP Officer Juan Quintero said the defendant bore down on the

Real Estate - For Sale GATED! NEWLY REMODELED! 1bd+1ba Cottages May Lease to Own From: $697/Month + Low Rent… Bingo, Shuffleboard, Square Dancing, Card Room, Pickleball, & More! Sale/ Lease-to-Own Discounts Available! Call 1 (858) 504-1222 Services Offered Wellspring Herbs and VitaminsOffering a large selection of high quality Herbs and Herbal Combinations, Vitamins, CBD Oils, Salves and Capsules, Essential Oils, Homeopathic Remedies, Bach Flower Emotional Essences, Teas, Organic Lotions and Skin and Hair Care products, etc. We offer Nutritional Consultations with Iridology and Live-Cell Analysis. Come on in for a FREE Bio Scan. We are open from 10-5 Monday thru Friday and 10-4 on Saturday. We are located at 1223 S. Mission Rd.

Prius at high speed along Temescal Canyon Road, approaching Squaw Mountain Road. The lawman alleged that the defendant rammed the Prius, causing it to spin out of control and slam into a tree on the side of the road.

Family members told reporters that the boys were fleeing out of fear and were trying to avoid a confrontation with Chandra. There was no prior dispute between the teens and the defendant, according to prosecutors. Witnesses followed Chandra back to his residence and alerted CHP officers, who arrested him roughly four hours after the collision.

Chandra testified that he thought the person at his door was a sex offender who had come to assault him, his wife and twin 16-year-old daughters, according to The PressEnterprise. He said he drove after the teens hoping to express his anger, but not harm them.

Chandra further testified that he only collided with the car because it suddenly braked.

However, jury foreman Terry Sherrill said the panel was put off by Chandra’s demeanor during his testimony.

“He absolutely did not put us in a remorseful mindset,” Sherrill said, according to the newspaper. “He didn’t seem to care about the well-being of the kids at all. ... Just his demeanor throughout the trial, and he didn’t show any form of remorse or emotion until he was talking about his money.”