Man Accused Of Killing Wildomar Woman Makes First Court Appearance

MURRIETA, CA — A 52-year-old man accused of killing a Wildomar senior made his initial court appearance Tuesday.

John Tyler Scott, also known as "Justin Scott Tyler," of Wildomar allegedly killed 74-year-old Bonnie Thompson last year.

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Scott is charged with first-degree murder, elder abuse and a sentence- enhancing allegation of inflicting injuries to a person over 70 years old.

He appeared Tuesday before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Judith Clark, who appointed him a public defender and scheduled his formal arraignment for Sept. 29 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

Scott is being held without bail at the nearby Byrd Detention Center.

According to sheriff's Sgt. Carlos Mendoza, the Central Homicide Unit began investigating Thompson's death in July 2025.

Mendoza said patrol deputies were called to her residence in the 33000 block of Hidden Willow Drive, near Bundy Canyon Road, on the afternoon of July 27 to investigate suspicious circumstances.

The victim had been dead for days, and unspecified "factors" pointed to foul play, according to court documents and the sergeant.

Her exact cause of death was not disclosed.

Over the ensuing months, detectives gathered sufficient evidence to obtain an arrest warrant, which was served on Scott in the area of Harvest Way and Bundy Canyon on Friday afternoon.

He was taken into custody without incident.

The relationship between the defendant and victim was not specified, and a possible motive wasn't disclosed.

Scott has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.