By Fiona Davis and Michele Chadwick
WOODLAND, CA – Closing arguments began Wednesday in the ongoing murder trial of Jesus Campos and Chandale Shannon, Jr., in Yolo County Superior Court—the prosecution gave their version of the events that led to the death of two teenagers.
Shannon and Campos are charged in connection with the kidnapping and murder of two teens, Elijah Moore and Enrique Rios, who went missing in late 2016.
It has been alleged by the prosecution the two accused committed these crimes alongside Jonathan and David Froste, two brothers who were also charged with and convicted of identical counts of murder and kidnapping.
Wednesday, defense attorneys for both defendants rested their case, leading the prosecution to begin its closing arguments.
Deputy District Attorney David Wilson began by suggesting the accused had willfully aided David Froste in the murder of both victims.
“These two defendants, knowing what David Froste wanted them to do … helped him. They encouraged him,” Wilson told the jury. “They gave him Enrique Rios. They were on the lookout for Elijah [Moore].”
Wilson also told the court that he felt this case stood out as “particularly disgusting” for several reasons.
“There are a few thoughts that come to mind on what made this particular series of crimes … particularly painful to the victims’ families” Wilson stated.
One reason he noted was the “inconsequential” motivation for the kidnapping and murder.
It is alleged that one of the victims stole three ounces of marijuana from the defendants. Over the course of the trial, several witnesses stated this reported robbery motivated the kidnapping and murder of both victims.
“Jesus had said they were robbed of marijuana and that he had killed [Moore],” one witness told officers during the investigation, noted the DDA.
During his argument, DDA Wilson stressed the victims “did not deserve to pay with [their] lives” for any alleged robbery committed.
In his reasoning for why this crime stood out, Wilson also argued to the jury that the accused had gone to extreme lengths to hide their alleged crimes, as well as the bodies of the victims.
In fact, Wilson noted that, as late as January 2021, searches for the remains of both Elijah Moore and Enrique Rios have been conducted, without success.
Wilson added investigators had enlisted the help of several organizations, including “PG&E, NectroSearch, the sheriff’s department … [ and cadaver] dogs,” but neither victim has ever been found.
Wilson told the jury the accused had hidden the bodies of the victims “to hide and conceal their crime, to conceal their guilt. It deprives the victims’ families of any kind of closure.”
Wilson maintained, “The key point is that Chandale, when he hears about this second plan, he’s able to observe and see David’s reaction. So he knows what David wants and he’s still helping.”
Wilson continued his argument by discussing the accused’s loyalty to David.
“If he really was loyal to Enrique he would have been at the door of the Yolo Police Det. But he knows they’ve got a guy in the trunk, a 16-year-old kid, and David’s announcing they’re going to kill him… He had a choice to make at this moment.
DDA Wilson added, “He could have got out of the car and said, nope, I’m not going to do this. But we know from the Facebook messages that he was never going to make that choice because David is his idol, his leader. He likes the power that comes with being associated with him.”
Wilson summed up Shannon’s involvement, saying that “they’re part of the conspiracy, this is their squad, this is their group,” and “they both aided, abetted and assisted in the kidnapping and murder of Elijah. There is no question. They knew he was going to kill them both.”
After the DDA finished his argument, Public Defender David Nelson began his closing statement on behalf of Jesus Campos.
PD Nelson told the jury, “you decide what Chandale knew, what was inside his head…what we do know is that David Froste is a monster. He killed two young people… David Froste destroyed people.”
Nelson continued, saying “there were two murders. They were done by David Froste. The People (prosecution) agree on this.”
Nelson then called his client’s participation in the crime into question, asking the jury, “Did he put himself there voluntarily, willingly? Or was he a 16-year-old-kid manipulated by an older psychopath?”
Closing arguments will resume Thursday. The case may go to the jury by late Thursday or Friday.
