Police said the victim was shot after meeting two men to sell a luxury item listed online.
TUSTIN, CA — Two Corona men have been arrested and charged after a 22-year-old Tustin man was fatally shot during a robbery tied to an online sale, police and court records show.
The killing of Cristhian Cruz has moved from a police investigation into a criminal case in Orange County Superior Court. Authorities say Cruz agreed to meet two men on Tustin East Drive on June 14 to sell a luxury item. The meeting turned violent, and Cruz died after being taken to a hospital. One suspect faces a murder charge, while the other faces a conspiracy charge tied to the robbery case.
Tustin police said officers were called at about 7:24 p.m. June 14 after dispatchers received a report of a shooting in the 13900 block of Tustin East Drive, just north of El Camino Real. Officers found Cruz on the south side of the street with an apparent gunshot wound. He was taken to Orange County Global Medical Center, where he later died. In a public statement, police said, “The investigation revealed the victim, identified as Cristhian Cruz from Tustin, was attempting to sell a luxury item on an online site and agreed to meet at the location.” Police have not publicly identified the item Cruz was selling.
Investigators said two men arrived to meet Cruz, and a struggle began during the transaction. Police said one of the men shot Cruz as the confrontation unfolded, then both men fled. Amaree Devon Johnson, 20, of Corona, was found later June 14 by the Corona Police Department and taken into custody. Aaron Cantreal Arterberry, 19, also of Corona, was arrested the next day by Tustin police. Johnson was first booked at the Orange County Jail on suspicion of murder. Arterberry was first booked on suspicion of robbery. Police have not said whether a firearm or the item listed for sale was recovered.
Prosecutors later charged Johnson with murder, including a special circumstance allegation that the killing happened during a robbery. He also was charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and faces an enhancement alleging the discharge of a gun caused death. Arterberry was charged with conspiracy to commit a crime. He also faces enhancements alleging he was armed with a gun during a felony and committed a crime while out on bail in a separate case. Court records cited in local reports show Arterberry had already been charged in a Newport Beach case involving grand theft and leading police on a chase on Aug. 1, 2025.
The shooting happened in a part of central Tustin lined with apartments, small businesses and busy streets that connect nearby neighborhoods with El Camino Real. The case drew attention because police said the meeting began as an online sale, then became a deadly robbery. Tustin police said detectives were looking for witnesses who may have seen or heard the shooting or who may have surveillance video from the area. The department named Detectives Svensson and Deleon as the investigators assigned to receive information in the case.
The case is now headed toward arraignment. Johnson and Arterberry are scheduled to appear July 16 at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, where they are expected to enter pleas. Prosecutors will have to prove the charges in court, and both men are presumed innocent unless convicted. The special circumstance allegation against Johnson raises the stakes of the case because it alleges the killing occurred during the commission of another felony. Authorities have not announced whether more arrests are expected, and police have not released a full account of what was captured by witnesses or nearby cameras.
Police described the investigation as active and focused on the moments before and after the shooting. The public statements released so far place Cruz at the meeting location with two men, describe a struggle during the transaction and say one suspect fired the fatal shot before both suspects fled. Officials have not released a detailed motive beyond the alleged robbery. They also have not said whether Cruz knew either suspect before the meetup. The next public step in the case is the July 16 arraignment in Santa Ana.
Author note: Last updated June 18, 2026.