Jonathan Pedraza, 26, was found guilty of first-degree murder, felony vandalism and two misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run driving stemming from the killing of his father, 62-year-old Miguel Pedraza of Glendora. Miguel Pedraza was found dead inside a storage unit at A-1 Mini Storage, 4391 Irwindale Ave., beaten to death with a free weight, investigators told the source. The jury classified the dumbbell as a "deadly and dangerous weapon." Authorities told the source the younger Pedraza struck his father with the weight at least five times, causing 10 lacerations.
According to the source, shortly after the murder, Jonathan Pedraza rammed his car though the facility's gate before becoming involved in a hit-and-run crash at a nearby park. Police found and arrested him on the roof of an apartment complex near the park.
Though the facility closes daily at 7:30 p.m., A-1 Mini Storage's website advertises "24-hour security," video surveillance and motion sensors. The source does not share if any footage or security logs were used as evidence in the trial.
Pedraza faces a maximum sentence of 27 years to life in prison at his Feb. 10 sentencing in West Covina Superior Court. A judge ruled in October 2011 that Jonathan Pedraza was mentally competent to stand trial.
