Man who killed another man in Long Beach had history of domestic violence, court records show

A man who killed another man in front of a 6-year-old boy in Long Beach more than two years ago had a history of domestic violence combined with a pattern of threatening behavior, court records show.

The defendant, Jason Monroe Daniels, 35, was sentenced to 122 years to life in prison on Aug. 27 for fatally shooting William Luther Hayes while Hayes was visiting his estranged wife’s children in Long Beach on April 19, 2017.

Daniels was convicted in July of second-degree murder, child abuse and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to prosecutors.

Various court records portrayed Daniels as a man who was short-tempered, unpredictable and at times threatening.

Daniels was dating Hayes’ ex-partner at the time of the shooting, though the couple had a contentious relationship, according to court records.

The woman told police that Daniels moved in to her home in the 500 block of Cherry Avenue, but she kicked him out because of his verbally abusive behavior.

At one point in their relationship, Daniels told her that if she ever left him, he would kill her entire family, blow up her house and go to her workplace, court records show.

The day of the shooting, Daniels emerged from the car he was living in and confronted his girlfriend as she was leaving for work, records show. She told police that Daniels threatened to blow up her house, and as she began driving off to escape, Daniels tried opening her car door to prevent her from leaving.

Daniels then went inside his girlfriend’s house and was there with her brother, her mother and her two children.

Witnesses told police that the kids ran to the door when Hayes arrived about 9 p.m. Court records show that Hayes helped raise the two children and was considered their stepfather.

Hayes, who hadn’t seen the kids in six months, went to the front yard to spend time with them. Hayes was teaching the youngest child how to tie his shoes. The boy told police he sat on the fence by his stepfather when Daniels approached Hayes, whom he had never met before.

Witnesses told police that Daniels asked Hayes, “What are you doing here?” Hayes replied that he was there to visit his stepchildren.   

The older child, who witnessed the event from the front doorway, told police that Hayes said, “No disrespect, I’m just here to see the kids. I’m not here to start any problems.”

“Well it’s not your place to see the kids,” Daniels said. “They’re not your kids and you shouldn’t be here.”

Daniels then shot Hayes once in the chest.

Hayes collapsed on his way to the door, in front of the children. Screams erupted from the children and their grandmother, and the kids were rushed inside.

Hayes was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The children’s mother was on the phone with her brother when Hayes was shot. Her brother had called her out of fear that an incident would erupt between Hayes and Daniels. She heard the gunshot while on her phone.

Daniels has been convicted of multiple felonies over 15 years, according to a probation report filed in court.

In 2007, he was convicted of domestic violence resulting in injuries. He was also convicted of issuing terrorist threats in 2014 when he threatened to kill a woman and her family if she ever reported his violent behavior to the police.

Daniels escaped in his black Dodge Durango after the shooting. He was arrested in Las Vegas two weeks later.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.