A Santa Monica man was arrested and booked for murder after a deadly altercation in Landers, authorities said. The incident, involving a chokehold and bear spray, led to the death of a 71-year-old man, officials confirmed.
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department reported that they responded to a medical aid request on January 1st at approximately 11:00 a.m., where they found the victim Jeffrey Cull unresponsive at his residence on the 55800 block of Montara Road. Cull was pronounced dead at the scene, and the property owner, William Durst, 54, was also present. Sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division, Homicide Detail took over the case, the Sheriff-Coroner’s office said in a statement.
During the ensuing investigation, detectives determined that Durst had arrived at the property and confronted Cull, leading to a dispute when Cull refused to vacate the premises. The confrontation escalated when "Durst sprayed Cull with bear spray and placed him in a chokehold," according to the investigatory findings. The conflict resulted in Cull losing consciousness and later succumbing to his injuries.
Following the incident, Durst was taken into custody and is now facing murder charges at the Morongo Basin jail. The detectives are currently prompting anyone with further information about the case to come forward. Detective Shawn Thurman of the Specialized Investigations Division can be contacted directly at (909) 890-4904, with the option for callers to remain anonymous through We-Tip at 800-78CRIME or by visiting their website, authorities stated.
