Man Charged With Murdering Friend He Believed Burglarized His Home
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A Brea man has been charged with the murder of a friend he believed had burglarized his home.
James Gregory Price, 56, is charged with one felony count of murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal discharge of a firearm causing death.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in state prison. Price is being held on $1 million bail.
Price is expected to be arraigned Thursday at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Justice Center, in Santa Ana.
At the time of the March 16 murder, Price was living in a home owned by his recently-deceased mother.
Price and an adult son lived in the home. One day prior to the slaying, Price and his son believed 24-year-old friend Justin Soto had burglarized the home and ransacked the dead woman's bedroom.
The DA says Price got into a verbal altercation with the victim and then shot him in the leg. As Soto tried to flee, authorities said Price shot him two times in the back killing him.
The case was investigated by the Brea Police Department.
