Beaumont, CA - On April 11, 2022, at approximately 12:39 a.m., officers responded to a business at the intersection of Beaumont Avenue and 1st Street in reference to an attempted armed robbery. A witness reported seeing several subjects attacking an employee at the business. Officers arrived and located the employee who reported the subjects came into the business, pointed a gun at him and attempted to remove money from the cash register. The employee fought the subjects, at which time they left the location. Officers attempted to locate the subjects, but were unsuccessful. The employee was not injured and no items were reported stolen.
The investigation was handed over to the Detective Bureau, who quickly identified the subjects. On April 19, 2022, Detectives served a search warrant on one of the suspects identified as Joseph Dean Murphy, age 21, from Hemet. During the warrant service officers collected evidence related to the robbery, as well as evidence of his involvement in additional crimes in Los Angeles County. Murphy was arrested and booked at Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, where he remains in custody.
Earlier today, April 27, 2022, officers were able to locate a second suspect, Jelani Kaneal Wilson, age 22 of Long Beach. Wilson is currently on parole for robbery in Los Angeles County and was also arrested for robbery in this case. Wilson was booked at Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.
