Parolee Accused Of Gunning Down Temecula Woman Arraigned

MURRIETA, CA — A parolee accused of gunning down a 30-year-old Temecula woman only days after he was let out of state prison pleaded not guilty Friday to first-degree murder and other charges.

Rashad Kysim Populus, 28, of Los Angeles, was arrested last week following a Riverside County Sheriff's Department investigation into the slaying of Shaquilah Kaprise Howard.

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Along with murder, Populus is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations, as well as parole violations.

RELATED: Temecula Woman Fatally Shot At Apartment Complex, Suspect Arrested: Sheriff

The defendant was arraigned Friday before Superior Court Judge Judith Clark, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Dec. 1 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

Populus is being held in lieu of $3 million bail at the nearby Byrd Detention Center.

According to sheriff's Sgt. Carlos Mendoza, at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 4, Populus was involved in an unspecified dispute with Howard at the victim's apartment in the 28000 block of Colorado Avenue, near Las Haciendas Street.

During the apparent domestic squabble, Populus pulled a handgun and shot her, investigators alleged.

Witnesses called 911, and patrol deputies reached the location a short time later, locating the mortally wounded victim in the apartment, Mendoza said.

RELATED: Parolee Accused Of Gunning Down Temecula Woman To Be Arraigned Next Week

He said she was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Central Homicide Unit detectives quickly identified Populus as the alleged shooter, and he was tracked to a residence on Astoria Place in Oxnard, where he was taken into custody without incident hours later.

"Populus had been released on parole on Sept. 24, stemming from a conviction for assault with a firearm," Mendoza said.

The length of his imprisonment wasn't disclosed, and no further details were available regarding what might have triggered the alleged attack on Howard, or the relationship between Populus and the victim.