Full Notification

Since November 30, 2012, the Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department has been investigating the murder of Monte Sereno resident Ravi Kumra and the home invasion robbery at the Kumra residence. DeAngelo Austin, Javier Garcia, Katrina Fritz, and Marcellous Drummer were all arrested as a result of the investigation. Drummer was found guilty by a jury in 2014 and is currently serving a life without the possibility of parole sentence in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Fritz plead guilty to robbery and false imprisonment with gang allegations and has been a cooperating witness since 2014. She awaits sentencing while the investigation and all trials that come from it are complete.

On June 7, 2016, a Santa Clara County Superior Court Jury convicted DeAngelo Austin and Javier Garcia of Murder, Robbery in Concert, Criminal Threats, and two counts of False Imprisonment. Austin was also convicted of Assault with a Deadly Weapon and the jury found allegations that the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang. The Jury also found a special circumstance true that the murder was committed during the course of a robbery. Austin and Garcia will be sentenced by the trial judge, the Honorable Ronald Toff on August 5 and July 8, respectively.

The Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department worked extensively on this investigation in conjunction with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, as well as the Oakland Police Department, the Santa Clara County Criminalistics Laboratory, and many other local and federal agencies.

Please contact Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Kevin Smith (408) 792-2733 for any additional details pertaining to this investigation and the trial.