Travis Daniel Westly, 26, Richard James Dugan, 27, and Jonathan Richard Morgan, 24, were convicted and found guilty of second-degree murder. The murdered victim was Sean Thomas Gardhouse. The crime was committed in Corona, Riverside. On Monday, Oct. 27, the jury of 6 women and 6 men found Westly, Dugan and Morgan guilty for the killing of Gardhouse, on June 23, 2006. The three convicted defendants will be sentenced on Dec. 12. They face 25 years to life in prison for the crime.

On that fateful day, Morgan and Victor Sanchez had an unfriendly exchange with gang members of Corona youths called SoCal Riders/ SCR. Morgan and Sanchez were outnumbered so they backed out and left.

Westly and Dugan were members of FSU (Friends Stand United), a national gang into hard rock and casual fistfighting. Morgan, from ECB (El Cerrito Boys), asked for help from Westly and Dugan (FSU). About 15 gang members from FSU and ECB went to the venue “Jack in the Box” but SCR members had disappeared. They were psyched up and wanted to start a fight because that was the purpose for which they had converged there. The group saw Gardhouse, who had just parked his Chevy Silverado pickup in the car park of “Jack in the Box.”

Sanchez talked to guardhouse and accused him of associating with SCR (or something to that effect). Dugan came over and punched Gardhouse in the mouth. Robert “Robby” Lucero, Gardhouse’s friend, was a witness and related the account. Lucero said ECB and FSU gang members shouted and made a commotion. Patrons of Jack in the Box were afraid.

Westly testified he punched Gardhouse twice. Guardhouse fell and hit the sidewalk. The prosecution and the D.A. attorney, John Aki, filled out some details. They claimed Gardhouse hit his head and had severe blunt force trauma. Gardhouse was hospitalized in a state of coma for 1 week before he died.

The lawyers for the defendants denied any wrong doing on the parts of their clients. Dugan’s lawyer, Steve Harmon, said it was not really proven the defendants belonged to gangs. All lawyers said the groups (they did not use the word gangs) did not commit organized violence. Harmon wants to file a motion for a new trial for Westly, Dugan & Morgan. Harmon said there was no evidence Dugan committed a murder.

Laura Gardhouse, mother of Sean Gardhouse, said her only son has received justice. Sean guardhouse is survived by his mother, Laura Gardhouse, father Gary Gardhouse, and sister Kelly Gardhouse.

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This entry was posted on Friday, October 31st, 2008 at 11:00 pm and is filed under News.