James Wilkins

James Steven Michael Wilkins, a devoted father of three known to loved ones as “Scooter,” was a 29-year-old Caucasian man from Colton, California, working to build a stable life for his young family. Born in San Bernardino on July 9, 1987, to his parents James and Kandy, he was raised in nearby Fontana and attended A.B. Miller High School. For six years, he ran his own landscaping business, a trade that cultivated a lasting enjoyment for growing plants. About a year before his death, he took a position as a warehouseman at Lineage Logistics, seeking more consistency and support for his companion, Valerie Blair, and their children. Family was profoundly important to James, an only child who cherished simple pleasures like family barbecues, riding his dirt bike, and working on his truck. He and Valerie were raising his son, two-year-old James, and two young daughters, one-year-old Lauren and three-month-old Katelyn.

The evening of July 11, 2016, shattered that family’s foundation. Just after his 29th birthday, James was at the Office Bar at 123 N. E Street in San Bernardino. Shortly before 9 p.m., a fight that began inside the bar spilled out onto the street and violently escalated. According to police, San Bernardino officers were responding to a "hold-up" alarm that had been triggered at the establishment. When they arrived, they did not find a robbery in progress but instead discovered James on the sidewalk suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Witnesses reported that after shots were fired in front of the bar, James tried to flee around a corner before he grabbed onto a fence and collapsed. Medical personnel were called to the scene, but his injuries were too severe, and James Wilkins was pronounced dead.

The killing marked the 39th homicide in the city of San Bernardino that year, occurring during a particularly violent summer. In the days surrounding James's death, several other homicides took place in the city, including a triple homicide outside a liquor store, prompting concern from the police chief about the sudden spike in violence. Investigators with the San Bernardino Police Department immediately began working the case, determining that the shooting was a direct result of the earlier altercation inside the Office Bar. Their efforts quickly led them to a suspect.

Two days after the shooting, on Wednesday, July 13, 2016, police arrested 33-year-old Randy Murillo, a resident of San Bernardino. Homicide investigators announced they had linked Murillo to the murder of James Wilkins and stated that there were no other outstanding suspects in the case. Following his arrest, police confirmed that Murillo's case was being forwarded to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office for review and prosecution. The specific charges and the ultimate outcome of the legal proceedings have not been made publicly available in subsequent reports.

The loss of James Wilkins was a devastating blow to his family and community. Funeral services were held for him on August 2, 2016, at Dickey Mortuary in Fontana. He was laid to rest at Green Acres Memorial Park in Bloomington. He is survived by his companion, Valerie Blair; his three young children, James, Lauren, and Katelyn; his mother, Kandy Wilkins; and his father, James Frederick Wilkins. His death came just hours after an anti-violence march had passed through the city, a somber irony in a summer marked by tragedy.

The investigation into the death of James Wilkins is considered closed with the arrest of a suspect. As of the latest available information from July 2016, the case was in the hands of the District Attorney. Authorities have asked that anyone with information about this or other homicides in the city contact the San Bernardino Police Department at 909-384-5747 or 909-384-5615.