VICTORVILLE – A man who committed a violent crime as a juvenile was convicted of murdering a Phelan man and was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison last week.
On August 24, 2015, at around 10:45 p.m. the body of Louis Merrigan II, 58, of Phelan, was found lying outside of the motorhome that he was living in on the 12000 block of Hacienda Road in Phelan. A death investigation took place during which time the evidence led to Homicide detectives being called in to assume the investigation on September 2. 2015. It was determined through investigation that Jacob Andrew Bock, who was only 15-years-old at the time was responsible for the death of Merrigan. The murder was determined to have taken place on Saturday, August 22, 2015, two days prior to his body being discovered. On Thursday, September 3, 2015, Bock was arrested without incident. On Sunday, September 6, 2015, at around 2:00 a.m. Kyle Comrie, of Anaheim, who was 27-years-old at the time was arrested at an Anaheim motel. Additional evidence was uncovered at the motel where Comrie was arrested.
Through investigation, it was determined that Bock and his accomplice, Kyle Comrie, who was 26-years-old and living in Anaheim at the time went to Merrigan’s motorhome to rob him. One of the suspects made contact with Merrigan, claiming that he had crashed his off-road vehicle nearby and needed to use his phone. While he was there, the second suspect came out from hiding and attacked Merrigan with a baseball bat. “A handoff occurred allowing the other defendant to participate in the beating,” said Deputy District Attorney Christensen. The two left the injured victim outside of the motorhome, went inside the motorhome and stole numerous items including Merrigan’s .22 rifle. “As they were setting out to leave the property, Bock decided that he could not leave any witnesses behind, so he returned to the victim lying on the ground and shot him one time in the head,” District Attorney’s officials said.
Both suspects were charged with murder, with Bock, who was a juvenile at the time initially going to a juvenile detention facility until he was 18-years-old. Both suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges leading to a jury trial. Bock and Comrie had two separate juries which both concluded with a guilty verdict for Comrie on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, and for Bock on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. Comrie was found guilty of Murder, 1st Degree Robbery, and 1st Degree Burglary. Bock was found guilty of Murder, 1st Degree Robbery, 1st Degree Burglary, with seven felony enhancements all found true by jurors.
On Tuesday, May 15, 2018, Bock was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison. Comrie is scheduled be sentenced on Friday, June 22, 2018, at the Victorville Superior Court. He is facing 25 years to life in prison San Bernardino County District Attorney’s officials said.
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