Suspect in Slaying of Ice Cream Vendor Sought

Inglewood police said Friday they are searching for 18-year-old Antonio Dejuan Jones, who allegedly killed an ice cream vendor and wounded the vendor’s wife during a robbery Nov. 15.

Sgt. James TenBrook said witnesses identified Jones as the man who shot Refugio M. Garcia, 44, in the chest and stole his ice cream truck with his wife, Carmen Osorio, 42, still inside. After driving a short distance, Jones then allegedly shot Osorio in the arm, took her purse and fled.

The late afternoon attack occurred moments after Garcia had sold ice cream treats to neighborhood children.

Several witnesses, including one who now lives in Northern California, named Jones as Garcia’s killer after viewing police photos.

Officers went to serve the warrant at Jones’ Inglewood apartment early Friday morning, TenBrook said. But they arrived too late. Jones had left his apartment, in the 400 block of 97th Street, late Thursday or early Friday, TenBrook said.

Jones, who was 17 at the time of the attack, was released on parole from the California Youth Authority three weeks before the shooting, TenBrook said.

Jones is also wanted for the Nov. 9 shooting of a man who was sitting at a bus stop in Inglewood. The man, who was wounded in the shoulder, survived what police believe was an unprovoked attack.

Police said they believe that Jones is armed and still in the Los Angeles area.