Crime & Safety

Menifee Store Clerk Found Dead at Business, A Day After Assualt

Jeremy Joseph Robbins, 37, of Lancaster was being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta in connection with the death of Wesley Uyekawa, who died Monday from an apparent blow to his stomach a day earlier.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated from a previous version, to add additional details on the case from investigators.

A man suspected of inflicting ultimately fatal injuries on a Menifee car wash supervisor was arrested Thursday on suspicion of murder.

Jeremy Joseph Robbins, 37, of Lancaster was being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta in connection with the death of Wesley Uyekawa, who died Monday from an apparent blow to his stomach a day earlier.

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The two men did not know one another, according to sheriff's Lt. Joe Borja.

He said that on Saturday afternoon, Robbins visited the self-serve car wash that Uyekawa managed near Interstate 215 and McCall Boulevard. The suspect had removed dry-cleaning from his vehicle and placed it a short distance away while he cleaned the car, Borja said.

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"The suspect unknowingly left the clothing behind when he drove away from the location," Borja told City News Service.

According to the sheriff's Central Homicide Unit spokesman, Robbins returned around 10 a.m. Sunday to retrieve the articles, but they had been snatched by another car wash customer.

"He accused the victim of taking the clothes, but the victim didn't know anything about it," Borja said.

An argument ensued, and Robbins allegedly punched and threw the 60-year- old Uyekawa to the ground.

Deputies were called to the location and took a report from Uyekawa before he was transported to a hospital for extreme abdominal pain, according to sheriff's Sgt. Ray Huskey.

Uyekawa left the hospital later that day. Sheriff's officials would not disclose what, if anything, he was treated for. According to Huskey, around 9:30 Monday morning, the victim was discovered dead at his workplace.

"After additional investigation, it appears that Mr. Uyekawa died due to medical complications attributed to the initial assault," Huskey said.

Evidence collected at the scene helped identify Robbins as the suspect, according to Borja. He could not confirm whether security cameras captured the alleged assault.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant and tracked Robbins to his residence at 44223 Gillan Ave., where he was arrested without incident around 6 this morning.

Anyone with information related to the case was asked to call the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777.

—City News Service.


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