Men accused of killing woman during OC mall robbery appear in court – NBC Los Angeles

Three men accused of murdering a New Zealand woman during an attempted robbery at a Newport Beach mall last week appeared in court Wednesday to face murder and other charges.

Leroyernest Joseph McCrary, 26, of Compton; Jaden Cunningham, 18, of Lancaster; and Malachi Eddward Darnell, 18, of Los Angeles, made their first court appearance on charges related to the death of 68-year-old Patricia McKay. The suspects appeared in a cordoned-off area wearing orange jumpsuits. They did not speak during the brief court hearing.

The arraignment was postponed until August 1.

The suspects were charged with murder on Friday, including special circumstances of murder during the commission of a robbery. At the same time, the sentence was increased for killing a person over 65 years of age.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will later decide whether to seek the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole in the case.

McKay was killed when she was struck and killed by the suspects’ getaway car as they left the crime scene in Fashion Island in the area of ​​Santa Rosa Drive and Newport Center Drive. The woman’s husband, an Auckland businessman, was not injured.

In a press release issued Friday, prosecutors provided further details on the timing of Tuesday’s fatal events outside the mall.

According to police and prosecutors, Darnell and Cunningham, both masked, approached McKay and her husband as they walked in front of the Barnes & Noble store. One of the suspects put a gun to McKay’s 69-year-old husband’s head and demanded his watch while forcing him to the ground. When they couldn’t get the watch, the suspects turned their attention to Patricia McKay, who was holding grocery bags, prosecutors said.

A 68-year-old woman from New Zealand has been identified as the victim of an attempted robbery at a Newport Beach mall. Camilla Rambaldi reports for NBC4 News on Wednesday, July 3, 2024 at 4 p.m.

Cunningham allegedly dragged McKay onto the street in front of a getaway car driven by McCrary. Prosecutors said McKay’s husband jumped in front of the vehicle to protect his wife, but McCrary, with Darnell in the car, accelerated and forced the husband out of the way. He then ran over McKay, trapping her under the car and dragging her 65 feet, the news release said.

Cunningham ran toward the moving car while a witness chased him when Darnell fired several shots from inside the car, prosecutors said. Cunningham eventually made it into the car and the three suspects left the scene.

According to police, no one was hit by gunfire.

A chase ensued after the three men in the white sedan failed to yield during a traffic stop. One suspect exited the car in Cypress but was eventually arrested. The other two men were arrested after exiting the car in Los Angeles County.

McCrary, who prosecutors said has previous convictions for residential burglary in 2018, criminal threat in 2020 and robbery in 2023, was also charged with attempted second-degree robbery and fleeing from police, according to prosecutors. Darnell was additionally charged with attempted second-degree robbery and attempted murder, along with a sentencing enhancement charge of private use of a firearm and discharge of a firearm by another.

Cunningham was also charged with attempted second-degree robbery.

Politicians in New Zealand and elsewhere expressed their sadness after learning of McKay’s death. The New Zealand Herald identified husband Doug McKay as a prominent Auckland businessman and released a statement from the grieving family.

“No words can express our grief as we try to cope with the loss of our mother, wife and friend Patricia,” the family said in its statement. “We ask for privacy as we process this as a family.”

The country’s prime minister described McKay’s death as a devastating loss.

“After the devastating loss of Trish, my thoughts are with the McKay family,” New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a post on X. “They are amazing people and my heart goes out to Doug, her family and everyone who knew Trish.”