Olukayode A. Owolabi, a 27-year-old jewelry and fashion designer, was tragically killed on January 16, 2019, in Palmdale, California. Owolabi, along with two other men, Sean Cowen and David Hernandez-Licona, was fatally shot on Rancho Center Drive at City Ranch Road, a remote and unlit area. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. when the victims were found in the front seats of two cars, a Toyota Camry sedan and an Audi SUV.
A fourth man, who survived the shooting, called 911 and was taken to a hospital for specialized medical care. The motive for the shooting was initially unclear, and investigators did not release many details about the spent rounds or the circumstances leading up to the incident.
The investigation revealed that the shooting was part of a bogus marijuana deal orchestrated by Jonathan Paul Misirli. Misirli set up the fake drug deal and then shot the four victims, taking a bag containing about $2,500 in cash and approximately $10,000 in jewelry. He missed a separate container with $15,000 in cash. Misirli was arrested about three and a half months later, after investigators discovered he had been living in the park area surrounding the Griffith Park Observatory.
Misirli was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder for the killings of Owolabi, Cowen, and Hernandez-Licona, as well as one count of attempted murder for the surviving victim. He was also found guilty of robbery, with special circumstance allegations of murder during a robbery, murder while lying in wait, and multiple murders. In October 2021, Misirli was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His appeal was rejected by a state appeals court panel in October 2023, which upheld his conviction and sentence.
