Timothy Joseph McGhee
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Timothy Joseph McGhee (born April 27, 1973) is an American convicted
serial killer A serial killer (also called a serial murderer) is a person who murders three or more people,An offender can be anyone: * * * * * (This source only requires two people) with the killings taking place over a significant period of time in separat ...
and
Toonerville Rifa 13 Toonerville Rifa 13, also known as The Ville, is a Mexican-American street gang located in Los Angeles county. History The name Toonerville was created in 1902 by a cartooner in Louisville Kentucky, he merge his profession and the city he lived t ...
gang A gang is a social group, group or secret society, society of associates, friends, or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over Wiktionary:territory#Noun, territory in a ...
member from the
Atwater Village Atwater Village is a neighborhood in the 13th district of Los Angeles, California. Much of Atwater Village lies in the fertile Los Angeles River flood plain. Located in the northeast region of the city, Atwater Village borders Griffith Park and ...
neighborhood of
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, California. He is alleged to be responsible for at least 12 homicides between 1997 and 2001, three of which led to convictions. McGhee is also suspected of at least ten attempted murders, four of which led to convictions. In 2018, the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' named McGhee one of the top 20 most notorious killers in the history of
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, a list that included the likes of
Charles Manson Charles Milles Manson (; November 12, 1934 – November 19, 2017) was an American criminal, cult leader, and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Some cult members committed a Manson ...
, the
Golden State Killer Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. (born November 8, 1945) is an American serial killer known as the Golden State Killer, the Original Night Stalker, and the East Area Rapist, who committed at least 13 murders and numerous rapes and burglaries ...
, and the Night Stalker. After his arrest for assaulting a law enforcement officer, McGhee spent 1994 to 2000 either incarcerated or on parole. During his stints as a parolee, he allegedly shot seven people, killing three, and attempted to murder two
LAPD The City of Los Angeles Police Department, commonly referred to as Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), is the primary law enforcement agency of Los Angeles, California, United States. With 8,832 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the th ...
officers. He was arrested in 2003 on homicide charges and sentenced to death in 2009. In a separate trial in 2007, McGhee was sentenced to 75 years to life for leading a 2005 prison riot.
California Governor The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard. Established in the Constitution of California, th ...
Gavin Newsom Gavin Christopher Newsom ( ; born October 10, 1967) is an American politician and businessman serving since 2019 as the 40th governor of California. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served from 2011 to 201 ...
placed a moratorium on executions in the state of California in 2019, so McGhee was transferred from San Quentin's death row to the general population in
Salinas Valley State Prison Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) is a California state prison located north of Soledad, in Monterey County, California, adjacent to the Correctional Training Facility (aka Soledad State Prison). Facilities The prison consists of five faci ...
. McGhee is now serving life in prison without the possibility of parole, but current California law allows for his execution if the moratorium is ever lifted. In 2025, McGhee's murder convictions and death penalty sentences were overturned by the
California Supreme Court The Supreme Court of California is the highest and final court of appeals in the courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sac ...
on grounds that juror was improperly dismissed during deliberations.


Personal life

McGhee was raised in the neighborhood of
Atwater Village Atwater Village is a neighborhood in the 13th district of Los Angeles, California. Much of Atwater Village lies in the fertile Los Angeles River flood plain. Located in the northeast region of the city, Atwater Village borders Griffith Park and ...
, a
lower middle class In developed nations around the world, the lower middle class is a subdivision of the greater middle class. Universally, the term refers to the group of middle class households or individuals who have not attained the status of the middle or u ...
area of Los Angeles just north of downtown Los Angeles along
Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels thro ...
adjacent to Glendale, California. His father was a
White American White Americans (sometimes also called Caucasian Americans) are Americans who identify as white people. In a more official sense, the United States Census Bureau, which collects demographic data on Americans, defines "white" as " person having ...
of Scottish ancestry, while his mother was
Mexican American Mexican Americans are Americans of full or partial Mexico, Mexican descent. In 2022, Mexican Americans comprised 11.2% of the US population and 58.9% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexican Americans were born in the Unite ...
.


McGhee's early criminal history

McGhee's earliest recorded act of violence was a 1989 assault with a firearm when, at the age of 16, he pointed a shotgun at a guard while detained at a juvenile custody facility. In 1994, a 21-year-old McGhee was convicted of assaulting a
law enforcement officer A law enforcement officer (LEO), or police officer or peace officer in North American English, is a public-sector or private-sector employee whose duties primarily involve the enforcement of laws, protecting life & property, keeping the peace, ...
in
San Bernardino County San Bernardino County ( ), officially the County of San Bernardino and sometimes abbreviated as S.B. County, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of th ...
and was sentenced to four years in prison. He was released in 1997 after serving three years. In 1997, two members of The Rascals, Juan Cardiel and Pedro Sanchez, were allegedly chased through the streets of Atwater Village by McGhee. Cardiel was shot in the back and paralyzed from the waist down. Sanchez took cover at a gas station, standing behind glass he thought was bulletproof. The shooter repeatedly fired through the glass door hitting Sanchez in the back. He would later recover from his injuries. Both identified McGhee as the shooter.


Murder of Ronnie Martin

On October 14, 1997, while on
parole Parole, also known as provisional release, supervised release, or being on paper, is a form of early release of a prisoner, prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated ...
, it was alleged that a 24-year-old McGhee committed his first homicide. Ronnie Martin (23) was a member of Frog Town, one of TVR's biggest rivals in Atwater Village. Martin was shot 28 times and pronounced dead at the scene. McGhee was not linked to this homicide until years later. After an unrelated charge violated his parole, McGhee was sent back to prison in late 1997.


McGhee's release from prison

After violating parole in 1997, McGhee was imprisoned for roughly a year and a half. In March 1999, he was again released and lived with his grandmother in the
San Gabriel Valley The San Gabriel Valley (), sometimes referred to by its initials as SGV, is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, with the city of Los Angeles directly bordering it to the west and occupying the vast majority of the southeastern ...
, which has a relatively low crime rate compared to the more notorious neighborhoods of Los Angeles. But 11 months later, in February 2000, McGhee was again found violating the terms of his parole and returned to prison. He finally earned his release in April 2000 after serving roughly five years on the assault that initially carried a four-year sentence. Police note that crime in Atwater Village seemed to increase sharply each time McGhee was released from prison.


Recording studio murder

On October 17, 1999, while McGhee was on
parole Parole, also known as provisional release, supervised release, or being on paper, is a form of early release of a prisoner, prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated ...
, a bodyguard and two rap artists were shot near the gates of Echo Sounds music studio in Atwater Village after concluding a recording session. The crew had gathered on the studio's patio at 11:40 PM when at least two gunmen confronted them and began shooting without warning. Bodyguard Dwayne "Draws" Dupree (23) was killed, pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Dupree was guarding rapper Ricardo "
Kurupt Ricardo Emmanuel Brown (born November 23, 1972), better known by his stage name Kurupt, is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he formed Tha Dogg Pound in 1992 along with Daz Dillinger; the rap duo has releas ...
" Brown, the future executive vice president of
Death Row Records Death Row Records is an American record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. D ...
, who was finishing his album ''Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha'' with Antra Records. Kurupt's producer, Delmar "
Daz Dillinger Delmar Drew Arnaud (born May 25, 1973), known professionally as Daz Dillinger or simply Daz (formerly Dat Nigga Daz), is an American rapper and record producer. As a member of Death Row Records in the early 1990s, he is credited with the label ...
" Arnaud, also with Death Row Records and cousin of legendary rapper Calvin "
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
" Broadus was present but uninjured. Death Row artist Jevon "
Tha Realest Jevon Jones (born October 11, 1973) is an American Rapping, rapper better known by his stage name Tha Realest, and formerly Tenkamenin The Vigilante (or simply Tenkamenin). His debut album, ''Witness Tha Realest'', was released on July 14, 2009, ...
" Jones was wounded in the foot, and Willard "Act Da Fool" Givers was wounded in the calf. It was initially suggested that a hidden track on the album that insulted rappers
DMX (rapper) Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor. The recipient of various accolades, he won an American Music Award, a ''Billboard'' Music Award, and was nominated for six Gramm ...
,
The Firm (hip hop group) The Firm was an American hip hop supergroup formed in New York City in 1996 by rapper Nas, his manager Steve Stoute, producer Dr. Dre and production team Trackmasters. The group is composed of East Coast-based rappers Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ an ...
and others could be a motive for the shooting. Later, McGhee and an affiliate were linked to the shooting.


Murder of Ryan Gonzalez

On June 3, 2000, rival gang member Ryan Gonzalez (16) was killed as he walked home from a party. He was fatally shot in the 3300 block of Silver Lake Boulevard in Toonerville gang territory near Atwater Avenue Elementary School. A 27-year-old McGhee was the alleged assailant. Gonzalez was a member of The Rascals gang, sharing McGhee's nickname ''Huero''. Investigators believe McGhee's motive was simply that the neighborhood wasn't big enough for two people with the same street name. In June 2000, an arrest warrant was issued for McGhee in connection with the Gonzalez murder, but it was several years until law enforcement caught up with him.


Ambush of LAPD officers

On July 4, 2000,
LAPD The City of Los Angeles Police Department, commonly referred to as Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), is the primary law enforcement agency of Los Angeles, California, United States. With 8,832 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the th ...
officers Thomas Baker and Carlos Langarica were on patrol when they received a call around 3:30 AM that three males had stolen a wallet and fled the scene of the robbery in a gray Honda. Upon encountering the vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, the officers made a
U-turn A U-turn in driving refers to performing a 180° rotation to reverse the direction of travel. It is called a "U-turn" because the maneuver looks like the U, letter U. In some areas, the maneuver is illegal, while in others, it is treated as ...
and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver refused to stop and accelerated, both officers noting they were headed into the heart of Toonerville gang territory in Atwater Village. Baker and Langarica knew that other LAPD officers had been ambushed in this area by gang members who would block the street with debris and open fire on police vehicles. During this pursuit, a 27-year-old McGhee was allegedly using a police radio scanner to track the progress of the chase while coordinating an ambush. During the pursuit, the officers dodged a washing machine blocking the road, made a right turn at the corner of Bemis Street and Brunswick Avenue, and ran over a bicycle pushed into their path by an unknown suspect. As the police vehicle swerved, two gang members opened fire on the officers striking the driver-side door and even tearing a hole through Officer Baker's pants. Shaken but undeterred, the officers continued the pursuit even as the suspects in the gray vehicle began to open fire, ramming the rear of the vehicle to bring it to a stop. The passenger in the front seat fled the scene, pointing a semi-automatic pistol at the police. Baker rammed the vehicle again, at which point the passenger in the back seat displayed an
Uzi The Uzi (; ; officially cased as UZI) is a family of Israeli open-bolt, blowback-operated submachine guns and machine pistols first designed by Major Uziel "Uzi" Gal in the late 1940s, shortly after the establishment of the State of Israel. ...
-style
submachine gun A submachine gun (SMG) is a magazine (firearms), magazine-fed automatic firearm, automatic carbine designed to fire handgun cartridges. The term "submachine gun" was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun, to descri ...
. Officers ran for cover behind a tree exchanging gunfire with the remaining two suspects in the vehicle. Eventually backed up by other LAPD officers, all three robbery suspects were arrested and charged with attempted murder. Mario "Little Boy" Aleman, Ramon "Chubbs" Maldonado, and Joseph "Little Respect" Aghazadeh were sentenced to two consecutive life terms. The two gang members who fired on police during the attempted ambush, one of whom was suspected to be McGhee, were never identified. Aleman, Maldonado, and Aghazadeh refused to give up the shooters’ names in exchange for a lessened prison sentence. Neither officer was injured, but both later indicated that they did not think they would survive the incident. Both officers were awarded the prestigious LAPD Medal of Valor in 2003 for their bravery. McGhee was eventually convicted on two counts of attempted murder concerning this incident.


Murders of Marty Gregory Roybal and David Lamont Martin

On September 14, 2000, John Marshall High School student Marty Gregory Roybal (17) was fatally shot while spray painting in Toonerville territory near the Red Car River Park in Atwater Village. Contrary to popular belief, Roybal was not "sketching a painting." A family member and responding officers mentioned that Roybal enjoyed "tagging" or spray painting. This rather important piece of information may have been used to influence McGhee's sentence further. David Lamont Martin (33), who was homeless and likely a witness to the shooting, was shot and killed at the scene. Twenty-seven-year-old McGhee was suspected in both shootings.


Murder of Manuel Apodaca

McGhee had been incarcerated for yet another parole violation involving narcotics, this time at the
California Institution for Men California Institution for Men (CIM) is a male-only state prison located in the city of Chino, San Bernardino County, California. It is often colloquially referenced as "Chino". In turn, locals call the prison "Chino Men's" or just "Men's" to av ...
in Chino, California, but was released in May 2001. Beginning in June, he was suspected of shooting nine individuals in five months leaving six dead and three wounded. The homicidal spree began on June 11, 2001, when McGhee was allegedly traveling through the affluent
Los Feliz LOS, or Los, or LoS may refer to: Science and technology * Length of stay, the duration of a single episode of hospitalisation * Level of service, a measure used by traffic engineers * Level of significance, a measure of statistical significanc ...
area that borders Atwater Village and features the popular
Griffith Observatory Griffith Observatory is an observatory in Los Angeles, California, on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park. It commands a view of the Los Angeles Basin including Downtown Los Angeles to the southeast, Hollywood to the sou ...
. Manuel Apodaca Jr. (21) lived 35 miles east in Pomona and was passing through with his pregnant girlfriend, Nina Guerrero. McGhee allegedly opened fire on their vehicle on Los Feliz Boulevard near
Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels thro ...
known in that area as the
Golden State Freeway Interstate 5 (I-5) is a major north–south route of the Interstate Highway System in the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Coast between the Mexican border and the Canadian border. The segment of I-5 in California r ...
. Apodaca, allegedly a member of The Rascals (gang), was killed, and Guerrero suffered severe brain damage, but their unborn baby was delivered successfully.


Murder of Carlos Velasco

In July 2001, Carlos Velasco (21) was working at a furniture warehouse on North San Fernando Road in Atwater Village. Police state that McGhee, who had driven by and seen the stranger, ordered gang affiliates to kill the man because he did not recognize him. The homicidal order was carried out successfully.


Wisotsky massacre

Atwater Village resident Cheri Wisotsky (46) reported to police that McGhee allegedly was dealing drugs out of his sister's house nearby. On August 8, 2001, Wisotsky was murdered; as well as witnesses to the crime Mary Ann Wisotsky (64), Cheri's mother, and Bryham Robinson (38), friend and neighbor. McGhee is the alleged triggerman in the triple homicide.


Murder of Marjorie Mendoza

On November 8, 2001, McGhee was allegedly prowling the streets with fellow gang member Eduardo "Limpy" Rodriguez seeking revenge over the death of a comrade hours earlier. Armed with handguns and rifles, they came upon rival gang member Duane Natividad in the 3100 block of Hollydale Drive, six blocks south of the Gonzalez murder in 2000. Natividad was driving his
Mitsubishi Montero The Further information on the Mitsubishi P ...
with his girlfriend Marjorie Mendoza (25) and her friend Erica Rhee (16). Mendoza and Natividad had three children, Mark (5), Justin (3), and Nathan (1), who were not with them at the time. At 12:01 AM, November 9, as Natividad pulled up to a residence, McGhee and Rodriguez allegedly pulled in front of them, exited their vehicle, and opened fire on the Montero without warning or any verbal altercation. Natividad ducked and was struck in the right hand while Rhee ducked in the back seat, avoiding injury. As her boyfriend threw the car in reverse and accelerated away, Mendoza was hit multiple times and was driven to Glendale Memorial Hospital, where she later died. Toonerville gang member Eduardo "Limpy" Rodriguez (22) was arrested the following day. Homicide detectives announced on November 27, 2001, that another suspect, Timothy McGhee, was still at large, and a warrant had been issued for his arrest. Detective Timothy Neel noted that since McGhee's release from prison six months before, "violent crimes in the Atwater area have skyrocketed."


Murder of Christina Duran

Christina Duran (29), a friend of McGhee's, learned of Marjorie Mendoza's murder after McGhee solicited her help that same day. He needed to retrieve his girlfriend's cellphone, which he had dropped at the scene of the Mendoza murder. Duran was unsuccessful in finding the cellphone, but police managed to locate it and used it as evidence in McGhee's eventual trial. Shortly after the murder, Duran admitted to police during a videotaped interview with LAPD homicide detectives that McGhee was involved in the death of Mendoza. She was visibly shaken during the interrogation, frequently stating her fear of retribution. Two days after speaking with police, Christina Duran was killed in an execution-style murder on the night she celebrated her 29th birthday party, allegedly shot by McGhee five times in the right side of the head. McGhee wrote
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
lyrics as a hobby but never seriously pursued music. Many of his lyrics referred to his love of killing and his hatred of the police. His writings detailed the Mendoza murder as well as other previous homicides. One line eventually used against him in court read, "Witness protection won’t work/ Realize your rat ain’t going to make it to the stand," referring to his goal to eliminate anyone who might testify against him. He took the time to write, "everything in this book is a work of fiction," inside his spiral notebook in case police ever seized it. This did not deter the prosecution in his eventual trial.


America's Most Wanted

In the fall of 2002, a task force of as many as 60 local and federal investigators began searching for McGhee after linking him to numerous homicides. LAPD detectives had enough evidence to charge him in a single case, the homicide of Margie Mendoza. On August 28, the LAPD appealed to the public for information regarding McGhee's involvement in the Mendoza murder and the triple homicide involving Cheri Wisotsky. A $55,000 reward was offered, but no one came forward. When it became clear that McGhee was running the Toonerville gang from out of state, the
U.S. Marshals Service The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The Marshals Service serves as the enforcement and security arm of the U.S. federal judiciary. It is an agency of the U.S. Department of Jus ...
aided the LAPD in forming a task force with more investigators, vehicles, and aircraft. McGhee was placed on the US Marshall's '' 15 Most Wanted Fugitives'' list on September 25, 2002, wanted for questioning in an additional 11 homicides. At this point, McGhee had been officially charged only with the Mendoza murder by the Los Angeles district attorney's office. In contrast, U.S. marshals had charged him with the federal offense of
Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution The Fugitive Felon Act, abbreviated FFA, is a United States federal law that criminalizes interstate flight in order to avoid prosecution or giving testimony in state felony proceedings, a crime termed unlawful flight. The FFA was introduced to ...
under warrant number W663293984. City councilman
Eric Garcetti Eric Michael Garcetti (born February 4, 1971) is an American politician and diplomat who served as the List of ambassadors of the United States to India, United States ambassador to India from 2023 to 2025. He was the 42nd mayor of Los Angeles f ...
posted a $50,000 reward for McGhee's capture. Even the popular television series ''
America's Most Wanted ''America's Most Wanted'' (often abbreviated as ''AMW'') is an American television program whose first run was produced by 20th Television, and second run is under the Fox Entertainment#Fox Alternative Entertainment, Fox Alternative Entertain ...
'' appealed to the public by filming a segment in early 2003 dedicated to the search for McGhee. Despite such a record of violence, McGhee had received surprisingly little attention from the national media before this point, with barely any coverage in Southern California. In 2002, there would were only 11 individuals alive in the United States who had committed more than 12 homicides. As ''Los Angeles Times'' reporter Jack Leonard put it many years later, "even in a city with more than 150 gang slayings a year, Timothy Joseph McGhee's murders stood out." The public hadn't heard much, but detectives knew McGhee's name well. Suspicious of the grand scope of McGhee's power and influence in the criminal world, they had difficulty linking him to his crimes because neighborhood residents, fellow gang members, and even rivals feared retaliation to the extent of refusing to talk to police. On January 10, 2003, the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' reported that 29-year-old McGhee was wanted for his role in a dozen homicides; it was perhaps this newfound notoriety that drove McGhee to flee the state of California. He had already spent the last six months shifting between Atwater Village,
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, and
Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
, never staying in one place for more than a week. He would even throw off police by brazenly staying in rival gangs’ neighborhoods. LAPD officer Andy Teague was quoted as saying, "People know you don’t cross McGhee. If you cross him, you’re dead." A break in the case came when a reader of the ''Mojave Desert News'' recognized 29-year-old McGhee from a photo in the paper as a man who was living in
Bullhead City Bullhead City is a city located on the Colorado River in Mohave County, Arizona, United States, south of Las Vegas, Nevada, and directly across the Colorado River from Laughlin, Nevada, whose casinos and ancillary services supply much of the e ...
, Arizona. McGhee's father happened to own a business there, making the lead credible. The witness led authorities to a Ramar Street apartment on February 11, 2003, where McGhee had lived off and on for the past year.


Arrest

On February 11, 2003, a surveillance team in Bullhead City observed a man resembling the 29-year-old fugitive leaving the apartment in question, but conclusive identification was not possible in the dark. Investigators followed the suspect to a double-wide mobile home near Brill Street, but no arrest was made. Early February 12, after roughly 20 hours of surveillance, as authorities were preparing a search warrant and planning to raid the home with a
SWAT team A SWAT (''Special Weapons and Tactics'') team is a generic term for a police tactical unit within the United States, though the term has also been used by other nations. SWAT units are generally trained, equipped, and deployed to reso ...
, U.S. marshals positively identified McGhee departing the residence with a female driver. Officers pulled the vehicle over around 1:00 PM on Roadrunner Drive, and McGhee was ordered out of the car and onto the ground in the presence of more than 25 officers of the LAPD, Bullhead City Police Department, and federal law enforcement. McGhee surrendered without a struggle, refusing to speak. When an LAPD officer who knew McGhee attempted to engage him in conversation, McGhee glared at him, smiling at spectators. The suspect wore a T-shirt that read "Run. Jump. Throw a donut," referring to the best way to elude a police officer. Another T-shirt was discovered in McGhee's possession that read "Fugitive. Can’t see me," exemplifying his sheer audacity. The female driver was unaware of McGhee's true identity, nor did she have any suspicion that he was a wanted man. On February 13, McGhee appeared at the Mojave County courthouse in Kingman, Arizona, to begin
extradition In an extradition, one Jurisdiction (area), jurisdiction delivers a person Suspect, accused or Conviction, convicted of committing a crime in another jurisdiction, into the custody of the other's law enforcement. It is a cooperative law enforc ...
proceedings. On February 15, 2003, season 16, episode 16 of ''America's Most Wanted'' aired after the fact. McGhee's story was outlined as well as the high-profile case of
Elizabeth Smart Elizabeth Ann Gilmour (née Smart; born November 3, 1987) is an American child safety activist and commentator for ABC News. She gained national attention at age 14 when she was abducted from her home in Salt Lake City by Brian David Mitchell. ...
, who had been missing for 256 days. The episode led to her rescue 25 days later and the arrest of her kidnapper
Brian David Mitchell Elizabeth Ann Smart, aged 14, was kidnapped on June 5, 2002, by Brian David Mitchell from her home in the Federal Heights neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. She was held captive by Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, on the outskirts of S ...
. With McGhee in custody, the next logical choice for head of the Toonerville gang was Juan "Sharpie" Rodarte, a close associate of McGhee's. However, Rodarte was arrested later in 2003 for possessing a firearm and cocaine.


Prison riot

While awaiting trial, McGhee was held without bail in the Los Angeles County
Men's Central Jail Men's Central Jail is a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department county jail for men in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States. Built in 1963, it is one of the oldest county jails in California. The Men's Central Jail is located ...
, the largest single jail facility in the world just minutes south of Atwater Village. Being the charismatic leader that he was, he commanded the respect of equally intimidating criminals housed in cell block 3300 A-Row, the highest security area of the facility. McGhee was the shot caller, and fellow inmates would not act without his permission. He claimed to have been verbally and physically assaulted by deputies during his time in jail, even reporting one incident to the
ACLU The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The budget of the ACLU in 2024 was $383 million. ...
. On January 7, 2005, at roughly 4:40 PM, inmate Rudolfo Gonzalez, intoxicated from a homemade alcoholic concoction, was to be removed from cell block A. Sheriff Deputy Raul Ibarra handcuffed Gonzalez and extracted him from his cell under the ruse of meeting with his attorney. Obediently, Gonzalez attempted to return to his cell, fearing something was amiss as he did not have an attorney. Upon changing direction, Gonzalez was tackled by four deputies. They passed McGhee's cell who stated that Gonzalez, an acquaintance of his since elementary school, did not have his permission to leave. He incited McGhee's rage and commanded inmates to assault the deputies with apples, oranges, urine, and bleach. It took 20 minutes to remove Gonzalez from the cell block successfully. McGhee then ordered inmates to break the sinks in their cells so jagged pieces of
porcelain Porcelain (), also called china, is a ceramic material made by heating Industrial mineral, raw materials, generally including kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The greater strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to oth ...
could be used as weapons. It was hours later, nearly 10:00 PM that evening when two deputies began their shifts and investigated the damage in A-Row. They were assaulted with books, fruit, porcelain, and various items as they entered. Inmates set multiple fires, and a riot squad was assembled to quash the rebellion. By 2:00 AM the following morning, all inmates had been removed from A-Row, most voluntarily surrendering but McGhee dragged out by force. Addressing the fact that an officer he assaulted survived the attack, McGhee was quoted as saying, "Next time I’ll have to stab him."


McGhee's trial

On September 27, 2007, four and a half years after his capture, McGhee went on trial for the murders of Ronnie Martin, Ryan Gonzalez, and Marjorie Mendoza. Additionally, he was charged with the attempted murder of six individuals, including LAPD officers Thomas Baker and Carlos Langarica, Duane Natividad, Erica Rhee, Pedro Sanchez, and Juan Cardiel. Prosecutors initially charged the gang member with nine murders but dropped six charges before the trial began citing unreliable witnesses. McGhee was defended by attorneys H. Clay Jacke II and Franklin Peters Jr., attorneys with a combined 56 years of practice. In 2012, Jacke was appointed a
Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civil ...
judge in
Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 2023. Its population is greater than that of 40 individua ...
by California Governor
Jerry Brown Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. (born April 7, 1938) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the 34th and 39th governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and 2011 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic P ...
. Superior Court Judge Robert J. Perry presided over the case. Perry has overseen several high-profile cases in Los Angeles, sentencing arsonist
John Leonard Orr John Leonard Orr (born ) is an American convicted serial arsonist, mass murderer and former firefighter. A fire captain and arson investigator in Glendale, California, Orr was convicted of serial arson and four counts of murder; he is believe ...
to life in prison in 1998 and dismissing drug conspiracy charges against Howard K. Stern in 2011 regarding the death of model
Anna Nicole Smith Vickie Lynn Marshall (née Hogan; November 28, 1967 – February 8, 2007), known professionally as Anna Nicole Smith, was an American model, actress, and television personality. Smith started her career as a ''Playboy'' magazine centerfold in M ...
. In court, police and prosecutors described McGhee as a thrill killer, among the most feared gang members in Los Angeles. A chilling portrayal of the life of a gang member was presented with testimony of cold-blooded murder casually implemented to protect the organization's lucrative illegal drug business. Deputy District Attorney Hoon Chun stated that, unlike most gang members who kill for revenge, McGhee seemed to kill for sport, much like a
serial killer A serial killer (also called a serial murderer) is a person who murders three or more people,An offender can be anyone: * * * * * (This source only requires two people) with the killings taking place over a significant period of time in separat ...
. Evidence was presented that McGhee taunted at least one of his victims, saying, "Die like a man." before firing the fatal shot into his skull. While prosecutors detailed the horrific crimes, McGhee was amused. He frequently flashed a broad smile at spectators in the courtroom. Despite his notorious reputation, the prosecution was able to solicit the testimony of McGhee's gang rivals, former gang affiliates, and even his accomplices. Several of these witnesses were under police protection for their safety while others had to be ordered to testify. However, intimidated by the mere presence of McGhee in court, a number of rival gang members drastically changed their testimonies. Cardiel and Sanchez now claimed they weren't sure who shot them a decade earlier. Even prosecutors, his own attorneys, and gang experts declined comment outside of court. McGhee's incriminating hip hop lyrics were also used against him in court in which he detailed a number of his murders. He compared himself to fictional serial killer
Freddy Krueger Freddy Krueger () is a fictional character and the antagonist of the ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' horror film franchise. Created by Wes Craven, he made his debut in Craven's '' A Nightmare on Elm Street'' (1984) as the malevolent spirit of a ...
from the motion picture series ''
A Nightmare on Elm Street ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' is a 1984 American Supernatural horror film, supernatural slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven and produced by Robert Shaye. It is the first installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street (franchise), ''A ...
'' and outlaw
Jesse James Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, Bank robbery, bank and Train robbery, train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the "Little Dixie (Missouri), Little Dixie" area of M ...
. Residents of Atwater Village were terrified of the possibility that McGhee could be found innocent and subsequently released to terrorize the neighborhood again. Police had noted that crime escalated in the area when McGhee was not in custody. Meanwhile, McGhee's mother canvassed the neighborhood during his
incarceration Imprisonment or incarceration is the restraint of a person's liberty for any cause whatsoever, whether by authority of the government, or by a person acting without such authority. In the latter case it is considered " false imprisonment". Impri ...
passing out leaflets that asked for prayer for her son.


Verdict

Early on in the deliberation process, a juror who favored the defense was removed for unspecified reasons and replaced by an alternate. On October 25, 2007, after a week of deliberations, eight men and four women found McGhee guilty of all three murders. He was also found guilty in the attempted murder of four other individuals including the two LAPD officers whose ambush he organized, and Duane Natividad and Erica Rhee who were shot in Atwater Village. McGhee was acquitted of the attempted murders of Pedro Sanchez and Juan Cardiel, both of whom identified McGhee the night they were shot only to claim in court that they could not recall the perpetrator.


Sentence

On October 26, 2007, the death penalty phase of the trial began. McGhee was eligible for the death penalty because he was convicted of multiple murders and used homicide to further the activities of a criminal street gang. Prosecutors presented additional evidence that McGhee was involved in a fourth murder, that of Christina Duran. McGhee was not tried for her murder after so many witnesses refused to testify against him. On November 9, 2007, after days of deliberating, the same jury that convicted McGhee deadlocked on whether he should be executed or receive life in prison without parole. After three days of deliberations, the vote remained 10-to-2 in favor of the death penalty, so prosecutors elected to retry the penalty phase of the case. On November 14, 2007, McGhee stood trial for his role in the 2005 prison riot. He was sentenced to 75 years to life after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit an assault, conspiracy to commit vandalism, three counts of resisting executive officers in the performance of their duties, and two counts of assault. On August 27, 2008, a second jury agreed unanimously that 35-year-old McGhee should be sentenced to death. On January 9, 2009, Judge Perry sentenced McGhee to death. McGhee was additionally sentenced to multiple consecutive life sentences for the four attempted murders. Perry stated that McGhee treated killing as "some kind of perverse sport, as if he was hunting human game." He continued "(McGhee) is a committed killer and an obvious danger to society." Since executions were halted in 2019 by California Governor Gavin Newsom, McGhee is serving life without parole and cannot be executed unless and until the moratorium is lifted.


Conviction and sentences overturned

On April 3, 2025, McGhee's murder conviction and death sentences were overturned on ground that juror was improperly dismissed during deliberations, California Supreme Court ruled that the record does not support as a demonstrable reality the court's ruling that the discharged juror was unable to fulfill his duties as a juror and that ruling was therefore discretion abuse.


See also

*
List of death row inmates in the United States , there were 2,067 death row inmates in the United States, including 46 women. The number of death row inmates changes frequently with new convictions, appellate decisions overturning conviction or sentence alone, commutations, or deaths (throug ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mcghee, Timothy Joseph 1997 murders in the United States 1999 murders in the United States 2000 murders in the United States 2001 murders in the United States American male criminals American people convicted of murder American people of Mexican descent American people of Scottish descent American prisoners sentenced to death Gang members Living people People convicted of murder by California People extradited within the United States Prisoners sentenced to death by California Serial killers from California 1973 births