Trio Arrested In 2019 Killing East Of Temecula

ANZA, CA — In 2019, a 64-year-old man was shot to death at his Anza home during an apparent attempted robbery. A year and a half later, three people have been arrested and booked on suspicion of murder in the case, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced Wednesday.

The body of James Cidney Brown was found at his residence in the 29000 block of El Toro Road on Nov. 3, 2019. Sheriff's investigators determined he had been shot.

Brown's property was being used as an illegal marijuana cultivation site, according to the sheriff's department, although at the time no motive for the killing was announced and no arrests were made.

Leads were developed in the case and on Wednesday the sheriff's department said James Max Robinson, 40, Jesse Robert Thurbush, 40, and Jodi Lynn Miller, 46, have been charged with murder in the case. Thurbush is a high desert resident, and Miller is from Rancho Cucamonga. A city of residence was not provided for Robinson.

Thurbush and Robinson are currently in custody on an unrelated charge in San Bernardino County. Miller is in custody at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.

Investigators believe there are additional outstanding suspects and are seeking the public’s help. Anyone with information is asked to call Investigator Deanne with the Central Homicide Unit at 951-955-2777.