The suspected leader of a crew accused of killing a New Zealand tourist at the Fashion Island mall previously dodged prison time for an armed robbery in Los Angeles County but now finds himself, along with his alleged accomplices, facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars.
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Leroy McCrary — who along with Malachi Darnell and Jaden Cunningham is charged with the killing of 68-year-old Patricia McKay — previously was convicted in Los Angeles County of residential burglary and making criminal threats. But it is a 2022 armed robbery he pleaded no contest to in Santa Monica that has drawn comparisons to the deadly Fashion Island attack earlier this month.
Just after 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 25, 2022, two men with handguns confronted a man in the 200 Block of Broadway and demanded his Rolex watch. They then fled with the timepiece in a waiting getaway vehicle. In January 2023, Santa Monica detectives arrested McCrary. DNA found on the victim’s shirt helped investigators tie McCrary to the robbery, Santa Monica police Lt. Erika Aklufi confirmed.
Los Angels prosecutors reached a plea deal with McCrary, who pleaded no contest to robbery, according to court records. Superior Court Judge Cathryn Brougham placed McCrary on two years’ probation, but suspended his three-year prison sentence. As a result, the only time McCrary spent in lockup related to the Santa Monica crime was the five days he spent in county jail following his arrest, court records show.
Orange County leaders have pointed out the similarities between the Santa Monica robbery and the one at Fashion Island, which allegedly included Darnell and Cunningham — at least one of whom prosecutors say was armed — demanding McKay’s husband give them his watch, and the would-be robbers jumping into a getaway vehicle with McCrary, the suspected driver, allegedly running McKay over and dragging her body.
Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill told reporters after the arraignment of the Fashion Island defendants that it sounded “a whole lot” like the Santa Monica robbery. The mayor noted that by the time McCrary is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 1 he will have spent four times as long behind bars in Orange County as he did in connection with the armed robbery in Los Angeles County.
In reaction to the Fashion Island killing, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer — a frequent critic of LA County’s top prosecutor, George Gascon — has criticized state leaders for backing what he characterized as “soft-on-crime policies” that “encourage criminality while sacrificing public safety.”
But in explaining the outcome of the Santa Monica robbery prosecution, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office officials say their case against McCrary ran into “significant problems with proof.”
Witnesses were unable to identify a robbery suspect who was masked and wearing a hoodie, Los Angeles DA officials wrote in a statement. Similarly, available surveillance video was unable to capture the suspect’s unconcealed face, DA officials said.
A confirmatory test of the shirt where police say McCrary’s DNA was found had not been completed at the time of McCrary’s plea, DA officials said, and the preliminary test results were not admissible in court.
OH gee, is he a criminal?
So when is it a crime? If it was in Watts the crime is what? A hate crime with special circumstances?
Another dirt bag who because of his record should not have a handgun.
A prosecutor and DA who the idiots called Democrat elect and hire.
When does it end? When the stupid voters stop voting for Democrats and Leftists.