Sentencing Set for Parolee Who Pleaded Guilty to Killing Sheriff's Sergeant

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Sentencing is set today for a parolee who pleaded guilty to murdering a Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant outside a Lancaster apartment complex in October 2016.

Trenton Trevon Lovell, 31, of Lancaster, is facing life in prison without the possibility of parole for the execution-style killing of Sgt. Steve Owen, 53, who was shot five times on Oct. 5, 2016, in the 3200 block of West Avenue J-6.

Owen -- a 29-year department veteran who was well-known for his community involvement -- was among those responding to a call of a possible burglary in progress nearby when he broadcast over the police radio that he had the suspect at gunpoint.

The murder charge includes the special circumstance allegation that Owen was lawfully performing his duties as a peace officer when he was intentionally killed.

Prosecutors had opted not to seek the death penalty against Lovell.

Shortly after being sworn into office in December, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon issued a series of directives, including one that  ”a sentence of death is never an appropriate resolution in any case.''

Along with the first-degree murder charge, Lovell pleaded guilty April 22 to a series of other crimes the same day as Owen's killing. Those included an attempted murder charge for using Owen's patrol car to ram sheriff's Deputy Zachary Anderson's patrol car, along with two counts each of first-degree residential robbery and false imprisonment by violence for fleeing to a nearby home occupied by a 19-year-old woman and her 17-year-old brother, where Lovell holed up for about an hour before fleeing.

Lovell also pleaded guilty to one count each of first-degree residential burglary and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Lovell -- who had two prior convictions from 2006 and 2009 for robbery and was on parole at the time of Owen's slaying -- agreed to waive all appellate rights as a result of the plea agreement. Lovell acknowledged that he understood that he was facing a prison sentence with no foreseeable chance of release.

After last month's hearing, Deputy District Attorney Michael Blake called it a “fair and appropriate disposition.''

“I think that what Trenton Lovell has done is very significant in accepting this negotiated plea,'' Blake told City News Service.

In a written statement, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said, “... The parolee who senselessly executed Sergeant Steve Owen and attempted to murder Deputy Zachary Anderson pled guilty, resulting in an agreed-upon sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Sergeant Owen was murdered in the performance of his lawful duties protecting his Antelope Valley community. As his LASD family continues to grieve his murder, I stand in solidarity with his family and friends.''

The sheriff thanked the District Attorney's Crimes Against Peace Officers' Division, along with the Homicide Bureau, for “their tireless efforts in seeking justice for Steve.''

In a statement issued after Lovell's guilty plea, Gascon said Owen “sacrificed his life to protect the community he served.''

“This plea will not bring Sergeant Owen back, but will hopefully provide some small measure of peace to his family,'' the district attorney said.

At a June 2018 hearing in which Lovell was ordered to stand trial, Anderson testified that he heard three to four pops that sounded like gunfire before he arrived at the apartment complex.

“I saw Sergeant Owen laying on his back and a male Black standing over him,'' Anderson testified before identifying Lovell in court.

Anderson said he yelled at Lovell to “get on the ground'' and that Lovell “pointed the gun that he was holding at me.''

Anderson said he immediately opened fire and began shooting at Lovell, who got into Owen's patrol car, accelerated toward him and rammed into his patrol car.

Anderson said he had to move out of the way because he feared Lovell was “going to attempt to run me over,'' and that both vehicles were disabled as a result of the crash.

The deputy said he re-loaded his weapon as Lovell fled through the apartment complex.

Anderson said he lost sight of Lovell when the suspect jumped over a fence, so he returned to try to render aid to Owen after another sheriff's unit pulled up nearby.

“He was still breathing. He had a pulse,'' Anderson said.

“Was he responsive at all?'' the prosecutor asked.

“No,'' said the deputy, who went with the sergeant as he was rushed in an SUV to a hospital.

At that hearing, sheriff's Sgt. Guillermo Morales testified that an emergency medical technician told investigators he heard Lovell say he wished his handcuffs were off “so he could kill more deputies.''

Morales said the EMT also told authorities that Lovell, who was taken to a hospital for a gunshot wound to his shoulder, said he was “glad he killed the deputy.''

The siblings who were inside the home that Lovell entered told investigators that the suspect “started to break down and cry'' and told them he had “killed a cop,'' according to sheriff's Sgt. Marc Boskovich.

Lovell was arrested after jumping over a wall to a nearby home. During a videotaped interview with investigators later that day, Lovell confessed to fatally shooting Owen after the sergeant told him to “freeze.'' A portion of the interview was shown during the earlier court hearing.

Lovell -- who described himself as a “two-striker'' on parole – told investigators that he turned around and opened fire after he saw Owen standing outside his patrol car with his gun drawn, and said he wanted to disable Anderson's patrol car so he could flee from the scene afterward, sheriff's Detective Karen Shonka testified at the June 2018 hearing.

Under cross-examination, the detective said Lovell told investigators he did not want the sergeant to die.

“He told you he had remorse?'' one of Lovell's attorneys, Monnica Thelen, asked.

“Yes,'' the detective responded, noting that Lovell cried during points of the interview.

Lovell was arrested that day after jumping over a wall and has remained behind bars since then.

Owen's killing prompted an outpouring of support for his family and remembrances of his unwavering dedication to his job and commitment to the community. Law enforcement officers from as far away as New York and public officials, including then-Gov. Jerry Brown, attended his funeral service.

A section of state Route 14 in the Antelope Valley was dedicated in his name on the one-year anniversary of his death. Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said then that the dedication “will serve as a continuous reminder of his selfless act, as well as a lesson to us all that we each have the ability to improve our community -- much like Steve did every day.''

Photo: Getty Images

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