Temecula Teen Accused of Killing Friend While High Must Stand Trial: Judge

By City News Service:

A Temecula teen accused of fatally shooting his 15-year- old friend while high on drugs in a Lake Elsinore motel must stand trial for murder, a judge ruled Friday.

Ryan Jordan Jawad, 17, could face 50 years to life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder with sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations in the May 31 death of Gage Seal.

Following a preliminary hearing at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, Riverside County Superior Court Judge John Monterosso found there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial and scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for March 18.

Jawad remains held in lieu of $2 million bail at Southwest Juvenile Hall.

(Above video from June 2015)

According to sheriff’s officials, the defendant, Seal and other youths gathered in a first-floor room of the Travel Inn to party all night. Jawad brought a semiautomatic handgun and was randomly pointing the pistol at Seal and others, dry-firing for kicks, investigators allege.

Jawad later told authorities that he was high on “wax,” a concentrated variety of marijuana, and wasn’t entirely aware of his actions, according to sheriff’s documents.

Investigators alleged that shortly before 1 a.m., Jawad put a magazine full of bullets in the pistol, racked it and leveled it at the victim, firing a single shot to his face. Seal died at the scene.

Jawad insisted that he did not intend to kill the teen, according to sheriff’s officials.

(Screenshot via above video embed)