Man Found Competent in DHS Shooting Case

Photo courtesy of the Riverside Sheriff’s Department

By City News Service

A date is expected to be set Wednesday for the trial of a Cathedral City man accused of taking a shotgun from his stepfather and using it to kill a man in Desert Hot Springs in April 2014.

Taireece Ross, 22, faces charges of murder and murder with malice stemming from the shotgun slaying of Damon Capacchione on April 2, 2014. During a hearing Wednesday, a judge is expected to schedule dates for pretrial motions and jury selection and select a courtroom where the case will be heard.

Ross’s stepfather, 63-year-old William McCrumb, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced in March to 25 years-to-life in prison for his role in providing the shotgun Ross is accused of using.

According to testimony from McCrumb’s trial, Ross began feuding with Capacchione that afternoon at the home of Ross’ godmother, Tonisha Griffin, after Capacchione walked naked into the living room while children were present. Ross’ daughter, and the daughter of one of his close friends, Anthony Murrell, were among the children in the home.

Murrell asked Capacchione, a guest of Griffin’s, to put clothes on because children were present. Capacchione complied and then apologized to Ross and Murrell. Ross refused to accept Capacchione’s apology, touching off a confrontation that spilled into the street and turned violent, according to witnesses.

McCrumb brought the shotgun in his white pickup truck and at some point during the melee, Ross went toward the pickup truck and obtained the shotgun from McCrumb.

Capacchione died at Desert Regional Medical Center about 30 minutes after being shot, according to the Riverside County Coroner’s Office.

McCrumb, Ross and Ross’ mother, Tamara Lester, fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Lester, 39, has pleaded guilty to being an accessory for trying to dispose of the gun in the desert.