Devon Cathey, who shot 33-year-old Nicklas Sellars in his tent on Oct. 18, 2022, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, use of a firearm while committing the crime and witness or victim intimidation. Had Cathey been convicted of first-degree murder during a trial, he would have faced a 25 to life sentence.
During closing arguments, one of Combs' attorneys, Deputy Public Defender Emery Welton, explained why he believed the jury should find his client was acting in self-defense when he fatally shot 25-year-old Trevor Earley in the small hours of Jan. 6, 2022, but if they disagreed, they should find him guilty of manslaughter, a lesser offense. The jury, which took roughly a day to deliberate after over a week of witness testimony – including from Combs himself – was clearly unconvinced, finding Combs guilty of first-degree murder, exposing him to a 25-year to life sentence. However, because the jury also found Combs guilty of using a gun to kill Earley, he could see another ten, 20 or 25-to life enhancement.
Elias Antunez told the jury that he spent most of the day on Jan. 5, 2022 celebrating. Recently out of work, Antunez would soon leave Alderpoint and return to Riverside, where his family lives. His friend Trevor Earley – who would die of a gunshot wound the next morning – stopped by Antunez’s home with beer to see him off. Earley, Antunez and two other men drank up until the next morning when Jake Combs – the defendant – allegedly shot Earley.