San Bernardino, CA: Jury finds Yucca Valley man guilty in girlfriend's slaying

Mike Cruz, Staff Writer
Posted: 08/03/2010 06:07:31 PM PDT

SAN BERNARDINO - A Yucca Valley man has been found guilty of last year's shooting death of his 27-year-old pregnant girlfriend, whose body was found near Muscoy.
A jury found Eric Demetrius Donaldson guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Sylvanna Lewis, being a felon in possession of a firearm and special allegations that he intetionally fired the weapon, causing death.

On Monday, Judge Duke Rouse ruled during proceedings in San Bernardino Superior Court that Donaldson had four prior convictions stemming from a 1994 robbery in Los Angeles County.

Lewis' mother, who had been attending Donaldson's trial, said her family was pleased with the outcome.

"Justice is served," said May Stewart, the victim's mother. "I hope they give him life in prison without parole, because she did not deserve to die."

Sheriff's detectives found Lewis' body on Jan. 2, 2009 on Mallory Street, just across from a wash near the unincorporated community of Muscoy.

Lewis had moved from Las Vegas to Adelanto eight months before she died to find a better life for herself and her then-4-year-old daughter.

The jury returned its verdicts Thursday before Judge Rouse. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 30.

Testimony given during the trial revealed that Donaldson dumped the woman's body and then went to Las Vegas after she was killed.

Lawyer Ron Powell, who represented Donaldson, said Monday that the case

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was "real tough." What made the difference to the jury were the events that occurred after the victim's death, he said.
"I think the jury saw those weren't the actions of a man who had an accidental shooting," Powell said.

Deputy District Attorney Rebeca Hynds confirmed the guilty verdicts against Donaldson.

"I thought the jury came to the correct result," Hynds said. "I was very pleased with the verdict."

Stewart said Lewis had met Donaldson through a friend, and then they dated for several months.

Lewis was described by her mother as a very nice, friendly person who was very giving and very outspoken. Everybody loved her, and she got along with everybody, Stewart continued.

"A child is supposed to bury their mother, a mother is not supposed to bury her child," Stewart said.