Modesto homicide victim’s name released, suspect charged

The Modesto man accused of shooting two homeless men in the parking lot of the Pep Boys on McHenry Avenue last week has been formally charged, and the name of the man who was killed has been released.

Authorities allege 24-year-old Thijay Juarez shot the men on the north side of the parking lot near a bus stop on Orangeburg Avenue. One of the victims, a 42-year-old man, managed to get away and go to Doctors Medical Center about two blocks away. He underwent surgery and remains hospitalized but is expected to survive.

The other victim, identified as 50-year-old Richard “Channon” Myers, died at the scene.

Juarez remained at the scene and was arrested without incident. Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear said a motive has not been determined for the shooting. It remains under investigation whether the suspect and victims knew each other.

One witness told The Bee that the attack appeared unprovoked and that the suspect just started shooting the victims.

Juarez was out on bail for a pending case from February, when he was charged with carrying a loaded firearm that was not registered to him, according to court documents.

For the Sept. 22 shooting, Juarez was charged with murder, attempted murder and a new charge of carrying a loaded firearm that was not registered to him, according to the criminal complaint.

He also faces enhancements for acting intentionally and with premeditation, causing great bodily injury and committing the crimes while on bail in another case. The complaint lists aggravating circumstances that the crimes involved the use of a weapon and “great violence, great bodily harm ... or other acts disclosing a high degree of cruelty, viciousness, or callousness.”

Juarez was supposed to be arraigned Tuesday but the hearing was continued to Oct. 21.