Thursday, 30 July 2026, 11:07
A quiet Chino Hills neighborhood became the scene of two crime scenes Wednesday night after a home invasion escalated into a police pursuit and a fatal deputy-involved shooting. Investigators are piecing together events that began on Monteverde Drive and ended about 1.5 miles away on Wandering Ridge Drive, where a body was found in the trunk of the suspect's car.
Just after 10 p.m. Wednesday, deputies responded to a home in the 2100 block of Monteverde Drive in Chino Hills. According to neighbors, the homeowner's electricity had been cut, prompting him to go outside to investigate. Multiple sources told FOX 11 that the homeowner was shot and killed, and his body was placed inside the trunk of a gray Nissan Altima with Oregon plates. The suspects then fled, leading deputies on a pursuit that ended near Gemstone Court and Wandering Ridge Drive.
Surveillance video obtained by ABC7 shows the pursuit vehicle slowly stopping as deputies surrounded it. A passenger exited with his hands raised and was taken into custody. The driver then got out, walked to the trunk, and opened it. Moments later, deputies opened fire, fatally shooting the driver. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department confirmed no deputies were hurt. After the shooting, investigators discovered a body inside the trunk.
UPDATE 1: According to authorities, the driver executed the victim in front of deputies by firing a shot into the trunk.
Deputies responded to reports of gunshots and someone yelling for help.
The driver then got out, walked to the trunk, and opened it. Moments later, according to officials, the driver fired a shot into the victim inside the trunk, executing them in front of deputies.
Both the driver and the victim were pronounced dead at the scene.
Despite deputies performing lifesaving measures, both the driver and the victim inside the trunk died at the scene. Officials have not confirmed whether the victim died from the initial gunshot wound on Monteverde Drive or the subsequent shot fired into the trunk.
Details on the connection between the suspects and the victim were not immediately known.
Chino Hills is a city in San Bernardino County, part of the Inland Empire region. The neighborhood on Monteverde Drive is a residential area that, according to neighbors, has been repeatedly targeted by burglars. They reported that alarms were often disabled before break-ins. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about home invasion crimes in suburban Southern California.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and Chino Police Department are jointly investigating both crime scenes. Homicide detectives are working to confirm whether the body in the trunk is indeed the homeowner, and to determine if any additional suspects are involved. Authorities have not determined a motive or whether the victim and suspects knew one another. It is also unclear if anyone else was inside the Monteverde Drive home or if the power outage was directly linked to the break-in. The sheriff's office stated there is no ongoing threat to the public, but a law enforcement presence will continue in the area.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the homeowner or the suspects. The investigation remains active, and more details are expected as forensic analysis and witness interviews proceed. Residents are urged to report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement.
