Defendant Sentenced for North Area Murder & Robbery

DATE:  August 11, 2020

CASE:  Isshiah Chiles (Case #15F02436)

PROSECUTOR:  Deputy District Attorney Aaron Miller, Homicide Unit

The Honorable Kevin McCormick sentenced Isshiah Chiles to 79 years to life in prison.  On November 19, 2019, after a court trial, Chiles was found guilty of the murder of Draven Rafferty and an unrelated robbery.  The court also found true allegations that the murder occurred during the course of a robbery, that Chiles personally used a firearm in the commission of the murder and the robbery, and that Chiles personally inflicted great bodily injury during the robbery.

On December 16, 2014, Chiles shot and killed a victim as he tried to rob him.  The murder victim’s friend had arranged to purchase marijuana from one of Chiles’ associates.  When the victim and his friend arrived, Chiles demanded property from them at gunpoint.  Chiles then shot the victim in the chest, killing him. Two days earlier, on December 14, 2014, the robbery victim was riding his bicycle home from a toy drive when Chiles and two accomplices robbed him of his wallet and cell phone.  Chiles then shot that victim in the leg.

Before trial began, Chiles entered a guilty plea to a third incident, an assault with a firearm. In that incident, Chiles shot at an acquaintance on April 18, 2015.