2 Convicted of Murder in Party Death

Two Ventura men were found guilty of first-degree murder Monday in the death of their accomplice in a New Year’s Day armed robbery in Ojai.

A Ventura County Superior Court jury agreed that Frank Stoddard and Timothy Antonelli were guilty of murder because their actions--plotting and executing the robbery of an all-night party--resulted in the death of cohort Ron Brown. Brown, 22, was killed by a party guest who managed to disarm one of the intruders.

Stoddard, 28, and Antonelli, 24, were also convicted of robbery, burglary, attempted robbery, conspiracy and assault with a deadly weapon. The jury deadlocked on another assault count, and Deputy Dist. Atty. Donald C. Glynn dropped the charge.

Glynn commended the jury for its understanding of a somewhat unusual legal concept: that a person can be guilty of murder for provoking a lethal response by someone else.

“This law is designed to put robbers on notice, and that’s what this verdict will do,” Glynn said. “If they break into a residence and create a violent situation and anybody gets killed, including one of their own, they can be charged and convicted of murder.”

According to testimony in the two-week trial, Antonelli learned about the New Year’s party when a guest called his Ventura residence looking for marijuana. Antonelli said he would bring some up to Ojai, then left the house with Stoddard, witnesses said.

Another witness said he saw Brown, Antonelli and Stoddard a short time later and that they said they were bound for Ojai.

Guests at the party testified that Antonelli came in, hugged hostess Melody Hatcher, and then stepped aside as two ski-masked men--later identified as Stoddard and Brown--burst in. The intruders dragged Hatcher by her hair, pistol-whipped guest Billy Joe Gregory into unconsciousness, and threatened to kill everyone there, witnesses said.

Then another guest, John Phil Shine, grabbed the pistol that Stoddard was carrying. A struggle ensued and the gun went off, hitting guest August Howard in the eye. Gregory testified that he regained consciousness, grabbed a rifle and fired at both Brown and Stoddard. Brown died at the scene.

Stoddard’s attorney, Steven D. Powell, conceded in closing arguments that his client was guilty of robbery. But he blamed the homicide on Gregory, whom he characterized as a “drug-crazed maniac” who overreacted.

The jurors, however, said they were not influenced by the admission of several witnesses that they had used LSD, methamphetamine, marijuana and alcohol in various combinations the night of the robbery.

“It’s not that we would want to take any of them out to dinner,” jury foreman Bob Kennard of Ventura said. “But the situation they were in overcame any doubts about the background of the witnesses.”

Nor did the jury think that Gregory overreacted, Kennard said. He said a crucial piece of evidence was the tape of a 911 call that one of the guests made during the robbery.

“There was a mood of hysteria,” Kennard said. “There was no time for a deliberate shooting. . . . We all felt that if the same thing happened in our home, we would react the same way.”

Another juror, who asked not to be identified, said there was not much doubt about Antonelli’s involvement in the conspiracy, although there was less evidence connecting him to it.

Stoddard and Antonelli showed no reaction as Judge Charles R. McGrath read the verdicts. Afterward, Stoddard shook hands with Russell L. Noragon, an investigator for the defense team.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 18. The defendants could be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the murder, plus whatever time they get for the other counts.

The verdict was welcome news for Shine, the party guest who started the melee that ended with Brown’s death. “I’m definitely pleased,” he said. “I figured the testimony about drugs might hurt.”