Travon Lewis Stokes in Sentenced to LWOP in 2014 CA Slayings of Kavin Johnson, Terry Freeman and David Lawler
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Kavin Johnson and David Lawler
San Bernardino triple shooting suspect pleads not guilty
By Melissa Pinion-Whitt, The Sun
SAN BERNARDINO -- A Moreno Valley man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder charges in connection with a shooting that left three San Bernardino men dead outside a hookah lounge.
Travon Lewis Stokes, 32, was charged with three counts of murder after San Bernardino police presented their investigation to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.
“The initial case was submitted yesterday,” said San Bernardino police Detective Joshua Cunningham, who is handling the case.
Prosecutors also alleged that Stokes committed the crimes for a gang, according to the criminal complaint. Because there were multiple victims, it is considered a special-circumstance case, making Stokes eligible for the death penalty or life in prison without parole.
Kavin Johnson, 26, Terry Freeman, 20, and 21-year-old David Lawler were in front of the Ahalena Hookah Lounge in the 1900 block of South Diners Court at 4:17 a.m. Friday when a man approached them and opened fire.
Police said there were 60 to 100 people hanging out in the parking lot at the time. Some scattered before police arrived, but others were cooperative and spoke to investigators.
Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene. Freeman and Lawler — half brothers who are Johnson’s cousins — died at Loma Linda University Medical Center.
Detectives identified Stokes as the suspect, tracked him to a motel in Moreno Valley and arrested him at 3:58 p.m.
He was arrested on suspicion of murder. Police say there are no other suspects in the shooting.
Three clusters of candles remained in the parking lot of the strip mall on Tuesday, placed there in memory of the victims.
Stokes is scheduled to return to San Bernardino Superior Court for a hearing July 28.
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