riversideca.gov

FOUR SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN 2022 ROBBERY HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION

Published: 03/02/2023




FOUR SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN 2022 ROBBERY HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION

 

RIVERSIDE, CA – On Sunday, March 6, 2022 at approximately 4:35 p.m., Riverside Police Officers responded to a reported shooting at an apartment complex located in the 2400 block of Iowa Avenue.  When they arrived, officers found a male adult victim suffering from a gunshot wound to his back.  The victim was transported to a local hospital but died shortly thereafter.  He was later identified as 24-year-old Benjamin Chanes of Riverside.

 

Detectives with the Robbery – Homicide Unit, along with Specialists from the Forensics Unit, responded and assumed the investigation.  They have been assisted by the Riverside County Sheriff – Coroner’s Office and Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

 

Their investigation determined Benjamin and his girlfriend were driving in the Riverside area when they stopped and were approached by four suspects at gunpoint.  The suspects kidnapped both victims and forced them back to their apartment where they were robbed.  At some point during the home invasion robbery, one of the suspects shot at Benjamin, striking and killing him.  Benjamin’s girlfriend was unharmed.  The suspects then fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle, which was eventually recovered in San Bernardino.

 

Over the course of the next several months, detectives followed up on leads, located and reviewed surveillance video, and were ultimately able to identify all four suspects involved.  In September 2022, detectives located and arrested two of the four suspects. 

 

30-year-old Anthony Wright of Indio, CA was found to be in custody in San Bernardino County on robbery and kidnapping charges related to an investigation being conducted by the Rialto Police Department.  He was transferred and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center.  Qevon Xavier Harvey, 25-years-old of Desert Hot Springs, was located by our METRO Team in the desert area and arrested, then booked into the John Benoit Detention Center. 

 

28-year-old Trezell Lamone Heckard of Vallejo, CA was located in Contra Costa County and arrested.  In February 2023, he was transferred and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center.  28-year-old Kahlin Cynque Erwin of Pittsburg, CA was located and arrested in Carson County, Texas, and was recently extradited back to California and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center.

 

All four suspects have been charged with murder, kidnapping, carjacking, and home invasion robbery.  Suspects Wright and Harvey are being held without bail, whereas suspects Heckard and Erwin are each being held on 1 million dollars’ bail.

 

This investigation is still ongoing and there are no other details to release at this time.  Anyone with additional and relevant information regarding this homicide and arrest should contact Sergeant Dan Mercadefe at (951) 351-6244 or [email protected], or Sergeant Bryon Adcox at (951) 351-6246 or [email protected].  Those wishing to remain anonymous can email [email protected], or by downloading and using the Riverside Police Department’s “Atlas 1” mobile app, then utilizing the “Send a Message” feature. 

 

Our app can be downloaded by clicking the ATLAS 1 link HERE.