On the final day of his life, Jonathan Mauk acquired right into a fender bender within the parking zone of the Walmart in Highland, an accident that may in any other case be of little consequence.
As a substitute, it ended along with his demise, a murder that has police and relations trying to find a motive to what seems to be a mindless killing.
The 59-year-old father of three and automobile fanatic visited the Walmart on Feb. 5 to purchase components to make beef jerky, utilizing a dehydrator that he obtained from one in all his sons.
He pulled as much as the low cost retailer round 8 p.m. in his 1998 Chevrolet Camaro Supersport, however earlier than he entered the shop, he reversed right into a pink Toyota Camry, in accordance with the San Bernardino Police Division.
Mauk acquired out of the automobile and tried to apologize to the lady he hit, who additionally acquired out of her automobile.
The girl was “upset,” police mentioned.
“He felt accountable and began apologizing, and the opposite driver rotated and shot him within the face,” mentioned Matthew Mauk, one of many sufferer’s three sons, who has spoken with detectives on the case.
She fired a single shot from a 9-millimeter gun, acquired again in her automobile and drove off, in accordance with police. Mauk died on the scene.
Responding cops spoke with witnesses and gathered video surveillance that helped them determine Shawntece Norton, 37, because the suspect within the taking pictures.
The following day, lower than 12 hours later, police arrested Norton, a former L.A. resident residing in San Bernardino on the 26000 block of Base Line Road, in accordance with police. She was charged with homicide with a firearm enhancement and is being held with out bail, in accordance with jail data.
Police executed a search warrant on her house and located an unregistered 9-millimeter firearm. Ballistics testing confirmed the firearm was used within the taking pictures on the Walmart, police mentioned.
“It’s a horrible state of affairs. We consider this to be an remoted incident. Our coronary heart breaks for the household however we’re grateful for the response of our officers and investigators,” San Bernardino Police Division Capt. Nelson Carrington mentioned in an interview.
Carrington mentioned the division was flummoxed by the taking pictures and couldn’t present motive for why Norton, who’s a mom, may need dedicated the crime. Police might solely discover a prison document of a petty theft conviction towards her in 2013.
Mauk’s killing over a minor crash left his household reeling and trying to find solutions.
“It’s heartbreaking watching my total household utterly disintegrate,” mentioned Matthew. “All of our lives have been modified instantly without end, nothing will ever be the identical. My dad was closely concerned in our lives in each facet. Not having him there may be past phrases.”
For now there are few solutions. Norton pleaded not responsible to the homicide cost and denied the firearm enhancement. She is due again in court docket for a listening to Thursday.
In 2020, Norton filed a lawsuit towards Harbor-UCLA Medical Middle for malpractice. The lawsuit is handwritten and consists of solely eight written phrases.
“Schizophrenia placed on document. Issues respiratory & sleeping & consuming,” she scrawled within the authorized doc.
She didn’t specify what providers the hospital had supplied her. The go well with was dismissed.
Norton additionally had utilized quite a few occasions for licenses as a safety guard, in accordance with public data, most lately in 2020, although all her licenses have been both expired or suspended, in accordance with California’s Bureau of Safety & Investigative Companies.
She additionally had a allow for a baton, a self-defense weapon, that was suspended, although the bureau didn’t clarify why.
Norton’s son denied that his mom shot Mauk, however declined to reply questions on his mom’s historical past.
“She didn’t shoot him. She is gun-free,” Kevin Norton mentioned in an interview. “She’s simply the very best mother and she or he did her finest and she or he been attempting.”
Matthew Mauk hopes Norton will face justice for the killing.
“I simply assume it’s necessary to know that what transpired is unacceptable. I anticipate justice to be served,” he mentioned.
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