RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- A jury found two Pomona men guilty of murder and other charges today for the killing of a prostitute in Ontario.
Matthew James McClane, 29, and Larry Darnell Shyne, 31, both face prison sentences of at least 50 years to life for their convictions in the Dec. 19, 2008 slaying of Kimberly Michelle Sum, 41.
In more than 10 days of testimony in West Valley Superior Court, prosecutors presented evidence that Shyne, Sum's former pimp, planned to rob Sum to frighten her into returning to him for protection.
Shyne enlisted McClane and his cousin -- both alleged gang members -- to carry out the robbery at the Hotel Indigo. In the course of the robbery, McClane shot Sum once with a pistol, killing her, prosecutors said during the trial.
A jury of 10 women and two men deliberated for portions of three days before reaching their verdicts shortly before noon.
McClane and Shyne were found guilty of murder, second-degree attempted robbery, and first-degree burglary. They were also convicted of numerous gang and firearm allegations that will lengthen their prison sentences.
Shyne hung his head as the verdicts were read, while McClane did not visibly react. As Shyne was led out of the courtroom, he blew a kiss to his relatives in the audience.
A sentencing hearing is expected to be scheduled on March 3 when the men return to court.
McClane's attorney, Gary Ablard, said he will file an appeal of the verdicts. He also said McClane may seek a new trial.
After Sum's killing, Ontario police slowly built their case against the three men eventually charged in the case.
Key pieces of evidence were Sum's cell phone records, which led detectives to numerous witnesses who described the relationship between Sum and Shyne, as well as security camera footage from the hotel.
The footage showed McClane and the other robber, Donald Ray Walker, walk toward Sum's room wearing gloves, then run away from the room about a minute later.
As McClane ran, cameras showed him holding a shiny object that prosecutors said was the handgun used to shoot Sum.
Nearly three months after Sum's killing, police made their first arrest. Walker, 23, gave a detailed confession that further implicated McClane and Shyne.
Walker later agreed to testify against the men as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors that carried a 19-year prison sentence.