Dwain George Kaiser, a 69-year-old bookstore owner from Pomona, California, was tragically shot to death on July 3, 2017. Kaiser was well-known in the community for his bookstore, Magic Door Books, which he and his wife had operated for over a decade. The incident occurred in his apartment located above the bookstore in the downtown Arts Colony area.
According to reports, a 17-year-old boy, who had been living with Kaiser and his wife along with his own mother, called the police around midnight, confessing to the shooting. When officers arrived, they found Kaiser with multiple gunshot wounds and pronounced him dead at the scene.
The teenager, identified as Ezra Neo Dierking, was arrested on suspicion of murder. Initially, Dierking's case was handled in juvenile court due to his age at the time of the crime. However, in June 2018, the case was transferred to adult court following a petition by prosecutors. Dierking was charged with first-degree murder, but later, as part of a plea deal, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and admitted to the special allegation of discharging a firearm causing death. In January 2019, Dierking was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
The motive behind the shooting was not clearly detailed in the reports, but it was noted that Dierking and his mother had been living with the Kaisers for many years, indicating a long-term relationship between the families. The community was deeply affected by Kaiser's death, remembering him as a gregarious man who loved reading and engaging with people through his bookstore. A memorial service was held in his honor, reflecting the impact he had on those around him.
