Sponsor
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
KPCC Archive

Suspected Riverside cop killer pleads not guilty

File: Earl Ellis Green was convicted in the murder of Riverside police officer Ryan Bonaminio
Authorities are seeking the death penalty against Earl Ellis Green in the murder of Riverside police officer Ryan Bonaminio
(
Steven Cuevas/KPCC
)

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.

Listen 0:50
Suspected Riverside cop killer pleads not guilty
Suspected Riverside cop killer pleads not guilty

The man suspected of murdering a Riverside police officer last month is pleading “not guilty.” Suspect Earl Ellis Green was arraigned Thursday.

More than a dozen Riverside police officers and investigators attended the hearing. Green is charged with killing 27-year-old policeman Ryan Bonaminio after leaving the scene of a hit-and-run crash in a stolen truck.

Authorities say a witness saw Bonaminio chase Green on foot into a park. They say the witness watched Green hit Bonaminio with a hand weight, then shoot him at least twice with the officer’s own gun.

Investigators say they found Bonaminio’s semiautomatic pistol and other evidence during a search of Green’s home and other locations.

Sponsored message

The murder charge comes with special circumstance allegations of killing a peace officer and committing murder to avoid arrest. Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty.

Green has an extensive criminal past that includes convictions for domestic abuse and car theft. A trial date could be set at Green’s next court hearing scheduled for February.

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Chip in now to fund your local journalism

A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
The Brief