Pair arraigned on murder, hate crime charges in violent killing of Justin Peoples
By Marlee Ginter
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TRACY, California (KOVR) — A man and a woman were arraigned Friday on murder and hate crime charges in the death of 30-year-old Justin Peoples, a Black man who was shot and stabbed multiple times at a Tracy gas station earlier this week, prosecutors announced.
Christina Lyn Garner, 42, of Manteca, and Jeremy Wayne Jones, 49, of Stockton, were both arrested Wednesday morning along De Ovan Avenue in Stockton.
The night before, officers went to a Chevron along North Tracy Boulevard in Tracy after receiving reports of a gunshot victim. They located a shot and stabbed Peoples, who was pronounced dead approximately two hours later at an area hospital, Tracy police said Wednesday.
There was an emotional outpouring from his family who said Peoples was a Navy veteran and father of two who served his country only to be shot and stabbed on his home turf.
“He was just a remarkable young man,” said Marice Peoples, Justin’s father.
He held up pictures of his son proudly but with a heavy heart.
“From what we’ve gathered, it was unprovoked, and again, a senseless act of violence,” said Tracy Police Chief Sekou Millington.
San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar said the suspects’ history included “support of Nazi, white pride, skinhead, Aryan brotherhood.”
The DA released pictures of Jones’ tattoos showing the words “white pride” and swastikas on his arms.
Peoples’ family now calls on the community to come together.
“Today it’s his child, tomorrow it might be mine,” relative Bernice Bass said. “And tomorrow it just might be yours. I don’t care what color you are. You stand for this baby that didn’t deserve to die.”
Maurice says he’d just received a text from his son saying he’d see him for lunch the next day. Justin was murdered hours later.
“It’s going to always hurt. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy,” Maurice said. “It’s going to be a long hard trial and tribulation in my heart.”
Christopher Dimenco, 58, was arraigned as an accessory to Peoples’ killing. The defendants are expected to be back in court on April 4.
“There is no place for hate in our community. No one should be victimized because of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religion,” said Salazar. “These types of crimes are reprehensible and my administration will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law to hold those who perpetuate hate accountable.”
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