Long Beach slaying results in 2 arrests, including 1 who fled the state

Two men have been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting in Long Beach in July, including one suspect who had fled to New Mexico.

Vernont Murray, 39, was shot multiple times in the 6000 block of Long Beach Boulevard the night of July 1, and this month, two suspects were arrested in connection with the slaying, the Long Beach Police Department said in a news release .

Police identified 21-year-old Damion Joseph Jr. of Palmdale and 23-year-old Eric Calvin of Lancaster as the killers, and Joseph was arrested in Lancaster on Thursday.

Calvin, meanwhile, fled before authorities could serve their search warrants, and investigators believed he may have left California for Arizona or New Mexico, where he was ultimately located and arrested. Police did not detail the date of Calvin’s apprehension in Arizona.

Joseph has been booked into the Long Beach City Jail on one count of murder, and he is being held in lieu of $2 million bail. Calvin is in the process of being extradited back to California.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detectives Eric Thai or Kelsey Myers at 562-570-7244.

Anonymous tips may be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477) or by visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org .

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