A California man, 23-year-old Owen Skyler Shover, was given a life sentence without parole on October 25, 2024, for the murder of a high school classmate. Shover blamed the classmate for his expulsion from their shared high school.
In August 2024, Shover was convicted for the 2019 killing of 16-year-old Aranda Briones. The two had previously been expelled from Moreno Valley High School in California in February 2018 following an incident where Briones was found with a handgun that belonged to Shover.
Law enforcement reports state that on November 7, 2017, Briones missed school to spend time with friends, including Shover, at a nearby park. When a school resource officer from the sheriff’s department approached the group, they attempted to escape. Shover, who was carrying a handgun at the time, handed the weapon to Briones and told her to hide it. In her panic, Briones threw the gun into a drainage canal, an act witnessed by the school resource officer who subsequently detained her. During her subsequent questioning, Briones admitted to school officials and law enforcement that the handgun was owned by Shover.
According to court records, on January 12, 2019, Shover asked Briones to accompany him the next day for drug deliveries and to participate in robbing drug dealers. They met at Bayside Park just before 5 p.m. on January 13, 2019, with Briones last seen getting into Shover’s car. In a legal brief by District Attorney Mike Hestrin, it was revealed that Shover texted his brother Gary while driving, asking him to ready shovels and lighter fluid for that night. Mobile phone data showed that the Shover brothers later headed north into the San Bernardino Mountains via state Routes 138 and 18. Shover switched off his phone from 8:33 p.m. to 10:14 p.m., turning it back on when he reached home.
Although Briones’ body has not been found, investigators discovered her blood in the trunk of Shover’s car and evidence that he had attempted to buy a weapon.
During the sentencing, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Timothy J. Hollenhorst noted the unresolved questions about Briones’ whereabouts. The judge observed that Shover showed no signs of remorse. He ultimately stated that Shover undeniably represented pure evil.
Gary Shover, who was involved in the events after the murder, admitted to being an accessory after the fact and was given a 12-month probation sentence.
During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence linking Owen Shover directly to Briones’ murder. This included a forensic analysis of blood found in his car and records of digital communications. They argued successfully that Shover’s motive for the murder was his resentment over being expelled from school after Briones was found with his gun.
This sentencing concludes a five-year investigation and legal process that started when Briones’ family reported her missing in January 2019. Despite extensive searches in the San Bernardino Mountains, law enforcement was unable to locate Briones’ remains.