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HORROR: 79-Year-Old Army Veteran Dragged and Killed in Brutal California Carjacking

May 14, 2025

Army veteran, James Norman murdered in California carjacking

A 79-year-old Army veteran was brutally murdered on Monday during a carjacking in Southern California.

James Norman was at a gas station in Norco, California, cleaning his Chevy Trailblazer with the engine running when 29-year-old Ryan Hewitt jumped in the driver’s seat and drove off.

Norman was hanging out the back door and was dragged and then thrown from the vehicle. His family said he was just too frail to get out in time.

Hewitt was charged with felony carjacking and second-degree murder. He is being held on $1 million bail.

The victim’s family set up a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral expenses and medical bills.

James Norman is survived by his beloved wife, two daughters, two sons-in-law, and one grandson.

“Jim lived a modest, basic life, but also an adventurous life. He started off in the Army and worked across several fields including construction and vehicle transport, and at one point, even took to the skies as a pilot. His passion for travel for work and exploration led him to many corners of the united states, and his stories often captivated those around him. Whether building something with his hands or sharing tales from the road, Jim brought energy and authenticity to everything he did,” the family said.

ABC 7 reported:

The family of a 79-year-old man dragged and killed in a brutal carjacking Monday says they were getting ready to meet him for dinner before the deadly turn of events.

The victim’s daughter tells Eyewitness News that her dad was an Army Veteran who was in frail health. She said he had survived some close calls in his lifetime, from falling off a ladder to even walking away from a plane crash. She says it’s hard knowing her dad died in such a violent way.

James Norman — known as Jim to his family and friends — was getting ready to go to dinner with his daughter and son-in-law when he made a quick stop at an ARCO station on Hidden Valley Parkway in Norco.

“So he probably went to clean his car, and he was probably waiting for us to call him and say, ‘Hey dad, we’re on our way now and we’re going to come get you,’” said Norman’s daughter, Nicole Lauritsen.

But instead of calling her dad, Lauritsen says she got a call from a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy.

“‘Your dad’s been in an accident. Is there any way to track his phone?’ And I said, ‘No, but I can track his car,’ and that’s kind of where it led,” Lauritsen said. “Nothing made sense at the time, I think, obviously because it was an investigation, they couldn’t say anything.”

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