Marine to Stand Trial in 2008 Drug Killing in San Clemente

A Camp Pendleton Marine charged with killing a fellow Marine in San Clemente over drug money in 2008 will stand trial beginning Thursday in Santa Ana.

Christian William Carney, 25, of Manorville, N.Y., was stationed at Pendleton at the time of the crime, authorities said.

Alvin Reed Lovely, 24, of Dallas, Texas, also a Marine at Camp Pendleton at the time of the crime, is also being charged in connection with the murder, but his trial date has not been set.

The following is the Orange County District Attorney's account of Carney's alleged crimes:

While stationed at Camp Pendleton, Carney is accused of being a drug dealer who sold cocaine and ecstasy.

During the weekend of May 9, 2008, Carney is accused of driving to Texas to pick up his friend, Lovely, who had gone home for a visit and needed a ride back to the base.

While Carney was gone, 20-year-old Stephen Serrano and his friend, Chad Hatch, broke into Carney’s room and stole his drug money, officials said. When the defendants returned from Texas, a witness told them that he had seen Carney’s friend, Hatch, breaking into Carney’s room.

The witness did not identify Serrano.

On May 13, 2008, Carney and Lovely are accused of driving Hatch to a secluded area in San Clemente, pointing a firearm at his head, and threatening to kill him if he did not tell them who had helped him steal the drug money from Carney’s room.

The victim, fearing for his life, told them it had been Serrano.

Carney and Lovely are accused of driving Hatch back to Camp Pendleton and calling Serrano using Hatch’s phone. They are accused of leaving Hatch at the base and instructing Serrano to leave the base with them. Carney and Lovely are accused of driving Serrano to a secluded area in San Clemente.

Carney is accused of then shooting Serrano one time in the face and three times in the back. After killing the victim, the defendants are accused of leaving the body and fleeing the scene.

After the murder but prior to the discovery of the victim’s body, Carney is accused of meeting with Hatch and instructing him not to talk to anybody about what they had done to Serrano.

Serrano’s body was discovered by a jogger May 15, 2008.

Carney is charged with one felony count of murder, one felony count of criminal threats, one felony count of attempting to dissuade a witness, and a sentencing enhancement for the personal discharge of a firearm, according to a release from the District Attorney's office.

If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 53 years and eight months to life in state prison.

Lovely is charged with one felony count of murder, one felony count of criminal threats, and a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a firearm. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 38 years to life in state prison, the release states.

The trial begins at 9 a.m. in C-40 of the Orange County Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.