On November 18, 2019, Ulysses Solis-Morenda, a 17-year-old resident of Fontana, California, was tragically shot and killed. The incident occurred in the 13800 block of Cobblestone Court, where Ulysses was found inside a vehicle. Alongside him, an 18-year-old individual was also shot and found outside the vehicle, critically injured. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department reported that three men were seen approaching the vehicle and conversing with its occupants before gunfire erupted.
The suspects fled the scene immediately after the shooting.
Initially, the investigation did not yield any arrests or identified suspects, and the case went cold for several months. However, in July 2022, the Cold Case Homicide Team of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department took over the investigation. Utilizing newly discovered evidence, they identified three suspects: Geoffry Mwangi, Twann Clintrass Smith, and Keyon Tillman-Lakey. Arrest warrants were issued for all three individuals in September 2022.
Geoffry Mwangi was apprehended on November 7, 2022, after being caught stealing laundry detergent from a supermarket. During his arrest, it was discovered that he had a warrant for his involvement in the murder of Ulysses Solis-Morenda. Mwangi was charged with murder and discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury. He pleaded not guilty and was held at the West Valley Detention Center with a bail set at $1 million.
Twann Clintrass Smith and Keyon Tillman-Lakey were also arrested in October 2022. Both were booked on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. The arrests marked significant progress in the case, bringing some measure of closure to the family and community affected by the tragic loss of Ulysses Solis-Morenda. The investigation and subsequent arrests underscore the persistent efforts of law enforcement to solve cold cases and bring justice to victims and their families.
