Christopher Dorner handgun turns up in investigation into robbery of $1M watch
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An investigation into the armed robbery of a $1 million watch in Beverly Hills took a bizarre twist when authorities turned up a handgun that once belonged to cop killer Christopher Dorner.
Dorner was the former LAPD officer who went on a murderous vendetta against law enforcement in 2013 before he died in a fiery standoff in the San Bernardino Mountains.
Authorities on Tuesday charged two South American nationals with allegedly being part of a crime tourism group which stole a $1 million Patek Philippe watch from a man as he dined with his family on the patio at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Aug. 7.
On Aug. 10, law enforcement conducted a warrant search at the Airbnb where the suspects were believed to be staying. Among other items, they discovered a handgun that had been registered to Dorner.
A look back at the Christopher Dorner killings and manhunt 10 years later
One of the suspects was seen outside the Airbnb with Dorner's gun in his hand, according to the criminal complaint.
Investigators later stopped a vehicle and arrested two suspects, identified as Jamer Mauricio Sepulveda Salazar, 21, of Colombia and Jesus Eduardo Padron Rojas, 19, of Venezuela.
Salazar is charged with one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Rojas is is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery.
How they came to be in possession of the Dorner handgun remains unclear.
"We were very surprised to find out about that gun, and we're still investigating how that gun came into these defendants' possession," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jena MacCabe said.
The vehicle the two suspects were driving, a Chevrolet Equinox, has also been linked to an Aug. 5 robbery in Beverly Hills of a $30,000 Rolex.
The two suspects remain in custody and are expected to appear in court for their arraignments next month.
