Ex-girlfriend, 3 others nabbed in killing tied to alleged murder-for-hire plot in ‘unusual’ case: police

What began arsenic a grim find wrong a Southern California flat has exploded into a coast-to-coast lawsuit — 1 Murrieta constabulary accidental is "unusual" for their community, with investigators alleging a murder-for-hire crippled tied to a victim’s ex-girlfriend and 3 different suspects.

Officers with the Murrieta Police Department were called to The Arbors astatine California Oaks apartments conscionable aft 9 a.m. connected Jan. 13, 2026. Inside 1 of the units, they recovered a antheral dead. From the start, investigators treated the lawsuit arsenic a homicide.

The unfortunate was aboriginal identified by household arsenic 30-year-old Aaron "AJ" Parr — a son, member and begetter whose nonaccomplishment has near loved ones reeling.

Just implicit 2 weeks later, constabulary arrested Ignacia Perkins, the victim’s ex-girlfriend, on with James Petri, who authorities described arsenic an acquaintance of Perkins.

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But the lawsuit rapidly grew beyond California.

As detectives dug done carnal and integer evidence, they began moving with instrumentality enforcement agencies crossed the country, yet identifying 2 much suspects believed to beryllium involved.

On March 18, authorities arrested Jerry Wheeler, 34, successful Brookhaven, Georgia, and Kenneth Maxwell, 39, successful Midfield, Alabama. Both men are present awaiting extradition to California.

Police accidental the lawsuit centers connected an alleged execution carried retired for fiscal gain, on with a broader conspiracy to marque it happen.

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Authorities successful Murrieta are investigating an alleged murder-for-hire crippled successful what they picture arsenic an antithetic lawsuit for the area. (Murrieta Police Department Facebook)

Wheeler and Maxwell each look charges including murder, conspiracy to perpetrate execution and a peculiar condition allegation that the sidesplitting was done for fiscal gain, constabulary said.

The arrests were carried retired with assistance from aggregate agencies, including Brookhaven Police and North Metro SWAT successful Georgia, arsenic good arsenic FBI teams successful Alabama.

Murrieta is mostly considered a comparatively harmless city, with a transgression complaint astir 2.2 times little than the nationalist average, according to City-Data.

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Aaron "AJ" Parr, the unfortunate successful a Murrieta, California homicide tied to an alleged murder-for-hire plot, is seen successful an undated photo. (Lexi Parr Facebook)

For Parr’s family, the arrests person brought a analyzable premix of grief and relief.

"The satellite kept moving, but ours stopped the time we mislaid you," a pistillate identifying herself arsenic Parr’s sister wrote successful a societal media station weeks aft his death. "Not a infinitesimal goes by that you aren’t connected our minds… successful our tears, and successful our prayers."

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She said the arrests person offered "a tiny consciousness of relief" arsenic the lawsuit moves forward, though the symptom remains.

"There is nary solemnisation successful it, due to the fact that thing volition ever bring you back," she wrote.

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A fundraiser created for the household describes Parr arsenic a beloved lad and brother, and says his parents are "salt-of-the-earth people" who person spent their lives serving others. The funds are intended to assistance screen ceremonial costs and different unexpected expenses pursuing his death.

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Authorities accidental the latest arrests people a large turning constituent successful the case, efficaciously wrapping up the progressive signifier of the probe arsenic detectives displacement absorption toward preparing for a imaginable trial.

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Investigators person not released details astir however the alleged crippled unfolded oregon the circumstantial roles each fishy whitethorn person played, citing the ongoing quality of the case.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].