Charges filed in Claremont robbery, beating
Prosecutors have filed criminal charges against two men accused of beating a 61-year-old Claremont resident nearly to death last week in the course of a robbery.
Robert LaMonte Jones, 20, and Messigh Liketin Perry-Garner, 16, were both charged Monday with attempted murder and first-degree residential robbery.
The two Pomona men appeared in Pomona Superior Court Monday for an arraignment hearing, but they did not enter pleas. The hearing was postponed to Feb. 10.
The morning of Jan. 20, Jones and Perry-Garner broke into a home in the 700 block of West 10th Street, according to a Claremont police news release.
During the course of the robbery, the homeowner, Vincent J. Gottuso, returned home.
Gottuso confronted the two men, and was repeatedly beaten in the head with his own shotgun, according to information from police and prosecutors.
It was unclear Tuesday whether both Jones and Perry-Garner allegedly struck Gottuso, or whether one of the men delivered the blows.
Gottuso, a Claremont native and owner of real estate offices in Claremont and Upland, was released Monday from Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, said Robin Gottuso, his sister-in-law.
"He's doing well, he's recovering," Robin Gottuso said. "We expect a full recovery."
A judge set bail for Jones and Perry-Garner Monday at $1 million each.
Jones remained jailed Tuesday afternoon. There was no information available about whether Perry-Garner is still in police custody.
A third person arrested in connection to the incident, 32-year-old Kenyata Harris, was released from police custody Thursday after posting a $20,000 bond.
Harris was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property, according to a police news release.
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