Authorities charged a California couple linked to white supremacist groups with committing murder and a hate crime for the killing of Black Navy veteran Justin Peoples, People magazine reports.
Peoples was shot once and stabbed several times at a Chevron gas station around 9 p.m. in the city of Tracy, California, on March 15, according to CNN.
On Friday, San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar said in a statement that Christina Lyn Garner, 42, and Jeremy Wayne Jones, 49, “were arraigned on murder charges with a special circumstance alleging the victim, Justin Peoples, was intentionally killed because of his race, color, religion, nationality, or country of origin.”
Christopher Dimenco, 58, was also arraigned on accessory charges for allegedly assisting Garner and Jones to flee.
Salazar suggested that Jones is affiliated with white supremacist groups and released photos of his tattoos, including a swastika and the phrase “white pride” with the number “88” which is known to represent the white supremacist numerical code for “Heil Hitler,” according to the Anti-Defamation League.
“Based on what we’ve observed, based on the past history of the involved parties, we believe we can make this special circumstance of a hate crime and take it all the way to trial,” Salazar said during a news conference, according to CNN.
Officials have not established what caused the altercation, but Tracy Police Chief Sekou Millington said it was “a senseless act of violence,” CNN reports.
“There is no place for hate in our community. No one should be victimized because of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religion,” Salazar added. “These types of crimes are reprehensible and my administration will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law to hold those who perpetrate hate accountable.”
Peoples’ father, Maurice Peoples, was supposed to meet with his son the next day for lunch.
“It’s going to always hurt. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. It’s going to be a long, hard trial and tribulation in my heart,” Maurice said People reports.
Jones faces one count of first-degree premeditated murder, weapons enhancement for the use of a knife and special circumstance for the hate crime. Garner is charged with one count of murder, weapons enhancement for the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony with special circumstances for the hate crime and one count of felony possession of a firearm.
Jones, Garner and Dimenco are detained without bond, and will be arraigned on April 4.
