Manslaughter Charge Filed Against Woman In Moreno Valley Killing

MORENO VALLEY, CA — A 47-year-old woman was scheduled for arraignment Monday afternoon in Riverside County in connection with the shooting death last year of a Moreno Valley resident.

Teesha Nashay Lucas, also of Moreno Valley, is facing one count of voluntary manslaughter with a sentencing enhancement of using a firearm in the commission of a felony following the April 19 shooting death of 22-year-old Xavier Cox.

After a months-long investigation, a criminal complaint against Lucas was filed on Jan. 16, and an arrest warrant was subsequently issued on Jan. 22. She was taken into custody on Jan. 29 and is currently being held on $150,000 bail at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, just before 3 p.m. on April 19, deputies were dispatched to an assault with a deadly weapon call in the 13600 block of Daimler Street in Moreno Valley.

Upon arrival, deputies found a man, later identified as Cox, suffering from gunshot injuries. The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

During the initial investigation into the violence, Lucas was identified as the shooter and was cooperative with detectives, but she was not arrested, according to the sheriff's department. The relationship between Cox and Lucas was not disclosed by the law enforcement agency.

But after a more extensive investigation, the case was presented to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, which determined charges would be filed against Lucas.

The relationship between Cox and Lucas was not disclosed by the sheriff's department, nor were details about a possible motive for the shooting.

Lucas has no criminal history in Riverside County, according to court records.