A Grantville man who claimed to be concerned over neighborhood crime and who did volunteer patrols has been convicted of a 2019 murder and attempted murder and assault of two men.
The six man, six woman jury deliberated 2 1/2 days before convicting Richard Lamont Cowan II, 42, of killing Mario Bullard, 35, who was found shot four times in his torso, stomach and neck on May 21, 2019.
The jury acquitted him of one attempted murder in 2020, but they found him guilty of two counts of attempted murder and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon in 2020, according to court records.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Peter Deddeh set sentencing for March 8. Cowan remains in the central jail without bail.
Deputy District Attorney Kristie Nikoletich told jurors Cowan began “patrolling” his apartment complex and area in Grantville after his car was broken into and his motorcycle was stolen.
Police officers found Bullard lying deceased in the street at 2:52 a.m. following a report of gunshots in the 6200 block of Holabird Street in the Grantville area.
Close to Bullard’s body were four .40 caliber shell casings, which were fired by Cowan’s .40 caliber Springfield XD pistol that was found in Cowan’s possession in 2021, said Nikoletich.
The gun casings in the other incidents also were fired by Cowan’s gun, said the prosecutor.
San Diego Police began documenting the patrolling by Cowan in his neighborhood which occurred at all hours of the night and they took notice that all four shootings took place within walking distance of his apartment, according to court records.
A judge authorized a search warrant and he was stopped on Sept. 15, 2021 on his way to work at a warehouse. They found a backpack in his black Jeep that contained a .40 caliber Springfield XD firearm.Cowan, who was the gun’s registered owner, was arrested.
Cowan faces at least 25 years to life for the first-degree murder charge and the judge may impose 10 years for the use of a gun in each of the other charges.
In 2021, one victim told police he was siphoning gas from cars on Decena Drive when a man pulled out a gun with a laser on it and shot at him three times. All rounds missed him but one lodged in the door of his car before he drove away. A projectile was pulled from his car.
Another victim in 2020 told police he was testing door handles on cars and a man yelled at him and shot him in the leg. The man took his cellphone and police recovered the projectile from his leg after he was hospitalized.
Cowan did not know any of the victims, according to the prosecutor.
Crédito de la foto: Pixabay.com
