Sean B. Cowen, a 24-year-old resident of Van Nuys, was tragically killed on January 16, 2019, in Palmdale, California. The incident occurred on Rancho Center Drive at City Ranch Road, a remote and unlit area. Cowen was one of four men shot that night, with three, including Cowen, pronounced dead at the scene. The fourth victim, who survived, was critically injured and required specialized medical care. The victims were found in the front seats of two vehicles, a Toyota Camry sedan and an Audi SUV, and were shot where they sat. The other deceased victims were identified as David Adalberto Hernandez-Licona, 25, from Boyle Heights, and Olukayode A. “Kayode” Owolabi, 27, from Westchester.
The investigation revealed that the shooting was part of a bogus marijuana deal orchestrated by Jonathan Paul Misirli, a homeless man who had been living near the Griffith Park Observatory. Misirli set up the fake drug deal and then ambushed the victims, shooting them and stealing a bag containing approximately $2,500 in cash and $10,000 in jewelry. He missed a separate container with $15,000 in cash. Misirli was arrested about three and a half months later and was subsequently convicted of three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and robbery. The jury found true the special circumstance allegations of murder during a robbery, murder while lying in wait, and multiple murders.
Misirli was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His conviction was upheld by a three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal. The case highlighted the dangers of illicit drug deals and the severe consequences of such violent crimes. Despite the conviction, the motive behind the shooting remains a point of investigation, with authorities continuing to seek more information about the events leading up to the tragic incident.
