Troy McVey and Colby Kronholm are from Greenville, Maine. Both young, white athletes had made the honor roll in high school. They also racked up convictions for nonviolent offenses in 2011.
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| McVey in a prior booking photo via Bangor Daily News |
In January 2015 the men found themselves in Hollywood, apparently living out of a car. Moments before midnight on Sunday, January 4th, the pair were allegedly caught on surveillance tape smashing multiple car windows on Cahuenga Blvd., near Hollywood Blvd. After travelling up the block they encountered 52-year-old Richard Miller.
What happened next is currently in some dispute. Early police statements indicate that there were several witnesses, including an off duty officer, who heard an argument and one of the suspects saying "Give me my money." After a short time McVey allegedly shot Miller several times, at which point he and Kronholm fled the scene. The off duty officer--and possibly other witnesses--followed them until they took refuge someplace on Wilcox Ave. and waited there for LAPD to arrive. Both were taken into custody, McVey charged as the shooter.
Detectives said that the suspects were not talking, so they speculated that it could have been a "drug deal gone bad" or mistaken identity.
It took nearly two weeks for Miller to be publicly identified, possibly delayed due to the difficulty of locating his next of kin. He was reportedly identified by his fingerprints, thanks to at least one prior arrest. Some sources say he was homeless at the time.
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| Kronholm at arraignment via Press Herald |
When McVey and Kronholm appeared in court Wednesday, January 21st, they both pleaded not guilty and McVey's lawyer claimed that the two men were actually the victims, having been simply walking around the area when two men--one of them Miller--attempted to rob them. He said McVey shot in self defense and the second assailant fled.
Bail has been set at $1 million for each defendant. No word on when the trial will commence.
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| McVey being taken into custody via KTLA |