Crime & Safety

Sentence Handed Down in 2009 Spring Valley Murder

Robert Navarro Jr., 23, will serve 15 years to life for his role in the April 14, 2009, death of 32-year-old Charles Schoeneman.

A prison sentence of 15 years to life was handed down Tuesday to Robert Navarro Jr., who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Spring Valley resident Charles Schoeneman in 2009.

The body of Schoeneman was discovered in his apartment in the 3800 block of Conrad Street on April 14, 2009, after the Navy man failed to report for duty. He had been assigned to 32nd Street Naval Station San Diego. A fellow serviceman found him stabbed to death, with as many as 39 wounds and the tip of a knife broken off in his skull, according to his father, Charles Schoeneman Sr.

Navarro, 23, and co-defendant Jin Dunn, both from Kingsbury in Fresno County, were arrested for the slaying in August 2009. Dunn was killed in a jail fight in November.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Schoeneman, 32, served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk and was deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, "only to be murdered by a pair of psychopaths in his own country,'' his father said.  Authorities said Schoeneman knew the defendants but did not say how.

Judge Allen Preckel said Navarro's actions belied his upbringing and family support.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It is difficult, if not impossible, to understand how Mr. Navarro began as he did as a child and ended up here today as a self-confessed convicted murderer,'' the judge said, calling the killing "heinous and callous.''

City News Service contributed to this report.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.