Crime & Safety

Preliminary Hearing in Craigslist Killing Case Set To Continue Wednesday

Rashon Abernathy, 17, Shaquille Jordan, 17, and Seandell Jones, 18 are accused of posing as sellers on Craigslist and robbing 18-year-old Garrett Berki, a La Jolla High graduate, and his girlfriend, then allegedly shooting Berki to death.

The preliminary hearing for three teenagers accused of robbing and shooting an 18-year-old college student who responded to a Craigslist ad commenced on Tuesday in San Diego.

Rashon Abernathy, 17, Shaquille Jordan, 17, and Seandell Jones, 18 are all being prosecuted as adults for their alleged involvement in the May 11 slaying of Garrett Berki, a La Jolla High grad and Mesa College student.

Deputy District Attorney Kristian Trocha said Berki, a Mission Beach resident, and his girlfriend went to Paradise Hills in southeast San Diego to buy an Apple MacBook Pro laptop for $600. Trocha said when the victim pulled out his money, one of the defendants pulled out a handgun and robbed the victims of the cash and their cellphones.

Find out what's happening in La Jollawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Trocha said Berki and his girlfriend saw the defendants get into a car driven by Jones and followed their vehicle. When Berki tried to box in their vehicle in a cul-de-sac, Abernathy, who was seated behind the driver, fired one shot through the windshield striking Berki in the chest, Trocha alleged. Berki later died at a hospital.

Trocha added that the defendants' car crashed near the crime scene, and they were captured in the backyards of homes in the area.

Find out what's happening in La Jollawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Marinor Monsalud told the court she was hanging out with her friends in front of her garage on Doria Way in the Paradise Hills neighborhood sometime after 10:30 p.m. on May 11 when she “heard a gunshot and tires screeching.”

The witness said she looked down adjoining Fleming Drive and saw a car crash into a sidewalk, then heard footsteps.

“I saw three guys running,” Monsalud testified. She said she then called 911 when she lost sight of the three teenagers, who she described as between 17 and 19 years old.

Abernathy is also charged with stealing $600 from a another man who responded to a Craigslist ad to buy a similar computer on May 5 in Paradise Hills. He faces up to 60 years to life in prison if convicted, Trocha said, and Jordan and Jones face 50 years to life if found guilty.

The preliminary hearing is set to continue Wednesday. Judge Joan Weber will decide if there is enough evidence to order the three teens to stand trial.

City News Service contributed to this report.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.