Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Court Hearing Today for Woman Convicted in Fatal Altadena Shooting

2012 murder case involved dispute over a 4-year-old child

A hearing is scheduled Tuesday, March 18 for Mesha Arshaz Dean, who was convicted of fatally shooting a man during a confrontation over his 4-year-old nephew in Altadena.

The hearing will take place at 8:30 a.m. in Department 110 of the Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles.

Dean was convicted in March 2012 of second-degree murder, kidnapping and child endangerment in the March 18, 2007, shooting death of Monroe “Monty” Miles. She was sentenced to 49 years and four months-to-life in state prison.

According to court records, Dean and her girlfriend, Vanessa Marie Ochoa, traveled from Nevada to California to take Ochoa’s son from his father’s home without permission. Ochoa had previously left her son with his father while establishing a new life in Nevada. Miles, the boy’s uncle who had been caring for the child while his father was away, attempted to stop them.

Prosecutors said Dean and Ochoa had planned to take the child by force if necessary, with Dean bringing a loaded firearm for this purpose. During the confrontation, Dean shot and killed Miles, who was unarmed.

Prosecutor Tamu Usher emphasized that Dean’s preparation with a loaded gun was inconsistent with a genuine self-defense scenario. The prosecution also noted Dean had no visible injuries when arrested, undermining her claim of being physically attacked.

Dean’s defense claimed she acted in self-defense, arguing Miles had become violent during the confrontation. However, prosecutors maintained that Miles was simply acting as a concerned relative trying to protect his nephew from being taken without permission.

The investigation revealed that Dean and Ochoa initially fabricated a story about a third person named “Chuck” who supposedly brought the gun, raising questions about their credibility.

Court documents indicate that underlying tensions included family dynamics and disagreements over custody, as well as religious objections within the family to Ochoa’s relationship with Dean.

Ochoa, the child’s mother, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping and child endangerment in August 2010. She was sentenced to 15 years in state prison and testified at Dean’s trial about the events leading to the shooting.

Dean’s appeals were rejected by both a three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal and the California Supreme Court, which refused to review her case.