Birmingham, Alabama – A man wanted in connection with a murder-for-hire case in Southern California has been arrested in Birmingham following a coordinated effort between local and federal law enforcement agencies. Authorities say the arrest marks a significant development in a complex homicide investigation that began earlier this year in Riverside County, California.
Incident Overview
The Birmingham Police Department confirmed that its Special Enforcement Team took 43-year-old James Lawrence Petri into custody on Thursday, January 30, on Bush Boulevard in Birmingham. Petri was wanted by California authorities for his alleged role in the killing of 30-year-old Aaron Parr of Murrieta.
According to investigators, Petri is facing multiple serious charges, including murder, murder for financial or other consideration, and criminal conspiracy to commit murder.
Timeline of Events
The investigation began on January 13, when officers from the Murrieta Police Department were dispatched to a welfare check at The Arbors at California Oaks Apartments. The call came after concerns were raised about a resident who had not been heard from.
When officers entered the apartment, they discovered Aaron Parr deceased inside the unit. Detectives immediately launched a homicide investigation, treating the death as suspicious based on evidence found at the scene. While authorities have not released specific details regarding the cause of death, police confirmed early on that foul play was suspected…