Man Sentenced To Life Without Parole For Home Invasion Robberies

EL CAJON, CA — A man convicted of carrying out a pair of San Diego County home invasion robberies, one of which led to the shooting death of his 15-year-old accomplice, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Joshua Manu, 33, was found guilty for his role in a two-day string of break-ins at homes in City Heights and Lemon Grove in February of 2017.

During the first robbery, Manu and his co-conspirators broke into a City Heights home at around 4:30 a.m., held the people inside the home at gunpoint, stripped them of their clothes, and stabbed them "repeatedly" in their backs, according to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.

The following day, Manu and Derrick Harris Jr. sneaked into a house in the 2400 block of Edding Drive and confronted a homeowner and his son shortly before 2 a.m.

During an ensuing struggle between Harris and one of the residents over a gun, Harris was fatally shot and Manu then opened fire on the home, prosecutors said. The homeowner's 22-year-old son was shot and injured during the robbery.

Manu was not arrested for his role in the robberies until more than two years later.

He was convicted by an El Cajon jury of 21 felony counts, which include attempted murder, kidnapping and robbery.

— City News Service