California Couple Charged Over Shooting of Black Man; Prosecutors Claim the Two Have Racist Affiliations

A California couple was arrested and charged over the shooting of an unarmed Black man at a gas station, with prosecutors pursuing the case as a race-based hate crime.

The suspects were identified as Christina Lyn Garner and Jeremey Wayne Jones, who are both facing felonies, including one count of murder and one count of special circumstances murder, according to a Law and Crime report.

Court documents reviewed that the victim was 30-year-old Justine Peoples.

The California couple also faces counts of intentional discharge to a firearm causing great bodily harm or death, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, as well as the use of a deadly weapon.

Garner was a convicted felon and possessed a firearm, for which he was charged.

Bobby Bivens, president of Stockton's chapter of the NAACP, said that they never think that this kind of hate is in their community, but now they see that they hate "is here," according to an ABC 10 News report.

Justin Peoples' Shooting

Tracy Police Department noted that officers were called to a gas station in the 3700 block of North Tracy Boulevard, right off of busy I-205 freeway.

Officers noted that when they arrived, they found Peoples suffering from a gunshot wound. He was then taken to an area hospital and later died.

Detectives said that they learned Peoples was involved in a confrontation with Garner and Jones before the deadly shooting.

Marice Peoples, the victim's father, said that his son was just a remarkable young man. He then held up pictures of his son proudly but with a "heavy heart."

Tracy Police Chief Sekou Millington said that from what they have gathered, it was unprovoked and a senseless act of violence, according to a Channel 3000 News report.

The DA has released pictures of Jones' tattoos showing the words "white pride," as well as swastikas on his arms.

The defendants are scheduled to be back in court on April 4.

District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar stated that the suspects have a history of supporting Nazi, white pride, skinhead, and Aryan brotherhood.

Peoples was a graduate of Edison High School and Delta College. Later on, he went on to join the Navy.

Prosecutors alleged that Garner and Jones "intentionally killed" the 30-year-old Black man due to his "race, religion, nationality, or country of origin."

One of the defendant's marks contains the number "88," which the Anti-Defamation League claimed as a "white supremacist numerical code for Heil Hitler."

Millington noted that there is no room for hate in Tracy or anywhere, adding that they will use their resources to bring those responsible to justice.

Meanwhile, a third defendant was named as 58-year-old Christopher Dimenco. He was charged with being an accessory to the killing of Peoples.

The Justice Department defines hate crime as a crime motivated by bias against a race, color, region, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability.

Hate crimes are broken down to specific categories based on bias motivation, vicitims, offenders, location type, and jurisdiction.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: San Joaquin County District Attorney files hate crime charges in the killing of Justin Peoples - from ABC 10