On May 4, after less than a day of deliberations, jurors convicted a 31-year-old Los Angeles man accused of fatally shooting his girlfriend, then engaging police in a standoff.

Rene Sajid Munoz was convicted of one count of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder and nine counts of assault with a firearm on a peace officer.  Jurors found true allegations that the murder was willful, deliberate and premeditated and that the defendant personally and intentionally discharged a firearm, which caused great bodily injury to the victim.

The jury also found that Munoz used and discharged a shotgun at responding officers of the Glendale Police Department.  After shooting at these officers, Munoz engaged SWAT officers in a standoff.  Munoz faces multiple life terms in prison.

Munoz was armed with two shotguns and two handguns on April 3, 2008, when he drove to a bowling alley in the Mid-Wilshire area to confront his live-in girlfriend, Kelly McCowen, 37.

Munoz fatally shot the victim in his sports utility vehicle when she accompanied him outside to talk.  After shooting McCowen three times at close range, the victim fell out of his SUV.  Munoz then drove to Forest Lawn in Glendale.  Once there, he made phone calls to friends telling them what he had done.

In order to prevent the defendant’s escape, officers set up a roadblock in the cemetery. The standoff lasted for two hours.