Casa Blanca Man Getting Coffee Gunned Down

Man getting coffee gunned down
11:56 AM PST on Friday, February 26, 2010
By PAUL LAROCCO
The Press-Enterprise
RIVERSIDE - Detectives are seeking witnesses to this morning's fatal shooting of a man on a busy street corner in Riverside's Casa Blanca neighborhood.
The 30-year-old victim, identified by family as Raymond Howard, parked his car at Madison and Evans streets just before 7 a.m. to purchase a cup of coffee. He was found in the middle of the road, about 25 feet from his car.
"We know there were people around," said Riverside police Sgt. Mark Rossi. "But nobody has said anything to us."
It was initially reported that several people were seen running from the scene, but Rossi said it's unclear if they were suspects or simply people fleeing the sound of gunshots.
A motive was not immediately clear, Rossi said. Howard's keys remained next to him, and as of mid-morning, the coroner had yet to arrive to allow detectives to see if he still had his wallet on him.
"It doesn't appear, at this point, to be a robbery," Rossi said.
Howard lived nearby with his wife and young children. He had just purchased a big rig in hopes of starting his own business, said his wife, Tina.
It sat in his driveway this morning with a temporary registration tag stuck in the front windshield.
The homicide is Riverside's third of 2010.
Anyone with information may call Detective Rick Cobb at 951-353-7135.

Damn, 7 in the morning, crazy shit.

Hopes die on the street as Riverside man is found shot to death

10:27 PM PST on Friday, February 26, 2010
By PAUL LAROCCO
The Press-Enterprise
Parked in the driveway of his Casa Blanca home, Raymond Howard's new big rig was a symbol of hope.

The 30-year-old purchased the truck last week to start a family business. Its temporary registration tag remained in the front windshield.

"He couldn't wait to get out on the road," said his wife, Tina.

On Friday, that same big rig became a symbol of what could have been. Police said somebody fatally shot the trucker just before 7 a.m. in his Riverside neighborhood as he went out for his morning cup of coffee.

"That's a ritual for him," homicide Sgt. Mark Rossi said.

Howard's tan Dodge Charger was parked at the corner of Madison and Evans streets, in front of El Amigo Meat Market. His body was lying about 25 feet away in the middle of the road.

"Whoever did this, I hope they rot," said Howard's mother, Aline Howard.

The area, in the shadow of train tracks, abuts a busy commercial stretch including a Home Depot and Farmer Boys restaurant. Police arrived to find a substantial crowd, but haven't located anyone who has provided great detail.

Several people were seen running from the scene, but Rossi said it's unclear whether they were involved in the shooting or simply fleeing the sound of gunshots.

"Unfortunately, right now it's sort of a whodunit," he said, adding that potential witnesses in the neighborhood, including day laborers at the Home Depot, might be too fearful to cooperate with detectives.

Shell casings were collected and manholes were searched for weapons, but police reported no significant leads.

Rossi said the shooting didn't appear to be the result of a robbery, and that it was too early to tell if gangs were involved. The victim was black and the neighborhood is heavily Latino, but there was no initial evidence race played any role, he said.

A longtime member of the Casa Blanca Community Action Group lamented the slaying, and said he didn't believe there was racial tension in the neighborhood.

"A murder on anyone is a murder to our whole community," Morris Mendoza said. "We get along."

Howard was laid off last month from his job as a short-haul trucker, and had been spending days watching his 9-month-old son as he readied his own business.

"He was just a hard-working man who loved and provided for his family," said his wife, Tina Howard.

As she spoke through tears, family and friends formed a procession line of condolences. Behind her was a large balloon left over from the surprise birthday party her husband threw her this week.

Tina Howard described her husband as a recreational fisherman and barbecue enthusiast. She said he never skipped his morning cup of coffee at the nearby corner store.

"We have a very good chance that somebody witnessed something," police Lt. Tim Bacon said. "Hopefully someone comes forward."

The homicide is Riverside's third of 2010. Anyone with information may call Detective Rick Cobb at 951-353-7135.

REST IN PEACE "STORM" ~ RAYMOND HOWARD

i have been walking the streets in the hood these past couple days but it seems that it's hotter with the 2800 block crips more than the cops, these vatos are riding around deep all damm day. im talking about 6 vatos in one cutty, theyre riding

CBxBOY32 wrote:i have been walking the streets in the hood these past couple days but it seems that it's hotter with the 2800 block crips more than the cops, these vatos are riding around deep all damm day. im talking about 6 vatos in one cutty, theyre riding

is there beef with the browns and blacks in CB as of late?

niners wrote:

CBxBOY32 wrote:i have been walking the streets in the hood these past couple days but it seems that it's hotter with the 2800 block crips more than the cops, these vatos are riding around deep all damm day. im talking about 6 vatos in one cutty, theyre riding

is there beef with the browns and blacks in CB as of late?

NAA ATLEAST NOT BETWEEN CBR & 2800
THE ONLY THING GOING ON IS THE BEEF WITH BLACK STAR MAFIA, SOME OF EM FUCKED UP AND JUMPED AN OLDER HOMIE.. BUT THEYRE NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. IVE BEEN GOING AROUND HOOKAH BARS PARTIES N SHIT LIKE THAT WITH SUM HOMIES LOOKIN FOR EM AND WHEN I DO THEY ALL RANK IT N START RUNNING
THERES ALOT OF SHIT GOING ON AT ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL BETWEEN BLACKS & BROWNS, I HEARD ABOUT ALOT OF FIGHTS AND THERE WAS ALMOST A RIOT AND THE COPS WERE CALLED IN.. FIGHTS GOING ON BETWEEN VATOS FROM TINY WINOS & CB WITH BSM & OTHER BLACKS AT THE SCHOOL.. THERES A SMALL BEEF BETWEEN THE HOMIES FROM CB & TINY WINOS TOO