Executive Summary
- Testimony has begun in the trial of three men charged with the 2022 murder of Benjamin Chanes in Riverside.
- Defendants face special circumstance allegations of killing during a robbery, kidnapping, and burglary.
- Police allege the victim was shot while attempting to flee after being carjacked and taken to his apartment.
- A fourth co-defendant has pleaded guilty to kidnapping and may testify for the prosecution.
Prosecution testimony commenced Tuesday in the trial of three men facing first-degree murder charges connected to the 2022 carjacking, kidnapping, and fatal shooting of a 24-year-old Riverside resident. The defendants, Trezell Lamone Heckard, 30, Anthony Antoine Wright, 33, and Qevon Xavier Harvey, 27, are standing trial following opening statements presented Monday before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Charles Koosed.
According to court filings, the trio is charged with the murder of Benjamin Chanes, alongside counts of carjacking, kidnapping, and burglary. The charges include special circumstance allegations that the killing occurred during the commission of a robbery, kidnapping, and burglary. Wright faces additional sentence-enhancing allegations related to firearm possession and causing great bodily injury.
The incident originated on the afternoon of March 6, 2022, as Chanes and his girlfriend returned to Riverside from Los Angeles. An arrest warrant declaration filed by the Riverside Police Department states that the couple was ambushed after exiting the freeway. Police allege that armed assailants ordered Chanes out of the vehicle and forced his girlfriend into a waiting Chevrolet Impala, while Chanes was held in their own car.
Investigators report that the victims were transported to Chanes’ apartment complex on Iowa Avenue. Police affidavits indicate that the defendants forced the couple into the apartment and ransacked the premises searching for money. When Chanes attempted to flee the residence during the robbery, Wright allegedly opened fire, striking the victim multiple times in the back. Chanes later succumbed to his injuries at Riverside Community Hospital.
Detectives utilized forensic evidence, including fingerprints found in the defendants’ abandoned vehicle, to link the suspects to the crime via social media accounts. A fourth co-defendant, Kahlin Cynque Erwin, pleaded guilty to kidnapping charges last year and is currently free on bond; court records suggest he may testify on behalf of the prosecution.
Judicial Proceedings and Case Context
The commencement of witness testimony marks a critical phase in a case defined by complex special circumstance allegations, which can carry severe sentencing implications under California law. The potential testimony of a co-defendant often introduces a significant dynamic in multi-defendant trials, providing direct corroboration to forensic evidence collected by law enforcement. As the proceedings move forward, the court will strictly examine the admissibility and weight of the evidence presented by the District Attorney’s Office. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
