Kingsburg Men Accused of Murdering a San Diego Sailor | ABC30 Fresno

kfsn

By ABC30

Friday, August 7, 2009

Fresno, CA /*Jeff Dunn*/ and /*Robert Navarro Jr.*/ were transported to San Diego after one was arrested in Fresno and the other in Kingsburg on Monday.

Investigators say the two friends extorted money from their victim, before murdering him inside his San Diego apartment.

During a video arraignment in San Diego County Wednesday, 22-year old Kingsburg natives Jeffrey Dunn and Robert Navarro junior denied killing 32-year-old navy sailor /*Charles Schoeneman*/. Schoeneman was found dead inside his San Diego area apartment back in April.

San Diego Deputy DA Curtis Ross said, "Mr. Dunn and Mr. Navarro drove down in a rental car from Fresno throughout the night. They then stabbed Mr. Schoeneman 39 times above the head, neck and face and then drove back to the Fresno area. A bloody knife was found at the scene of the murder that had Mr. Navarro's DNA."

Investigators say Dunn met Schoeneman on the internet and somehow convinced the sailor to list Dunn as his beneficiary on a one-million dollar life insurance policy. And the allegations don't stop there.

"We believe that Mr. Dunn over a period of time was extorting money for potential investments according to what the victim might have believed and send him over the period of several months 25 thousand dollars," said Ross.

Silvia Pumarejo is friends with the Navarro family. She says the allegations against Robert Navarro Junior, also known as Bobby, are hard to believe.

"He's very respectful always very respectful, very friendly and it's unbelievable," said Pumarejo.

Valerie Santana feels the same way. She went to Kingsburg High School with the two suspects. She and other former classmates are shocked, saying the two friends were good kids who stayed out of trouble.

"It is pretty shocking to hear. Two of our people from town you know," said Santana.

Jeremy Garcia said, "I knew them both real well you know, so for me knowing that and finding out this, I couldn't believe it at all, both of them."

Jeff Dunn's parents told me they did not want to comment on these allegations.

The two suspects are being charged with the special circumstance of murder for financial gain. They both face a possible death sentence and will be back in court next week.