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Palmdale man faces murder charge in death of mother

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A Palmdale man is facing murder and other felony charges in connection with a “family disturbance” that escalated into a SWAT operation on April 30 at a Palmdale home.

Joshua Lee Sharp, 36, is charged with murder and elder abuse in connection with the death of his mother, 69-year-old Dhina Sharp. He is also charged with assaulting Carlos Galeano with a deadly weapon, and he is charged with felony animal cruelty for “maliciously and intentionally [causing] unnecessary cruelty and suffering to Buddy, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois, according to court records.

The charges stem from an incident that was reported around 6:13 a.m. Saturday, April 30, at a home on the 4300 block of Desert Aire Avenue in Palmdale. A Sheriff’s Department news release on April 30 stated: ““Palmdale Station deputies responded… regarding a family disturbance call. Upon arrival, they contacted a male Hispanic, 74 years old, who stated his stepson, male Hispanic 36 years old, assaulted him and the victim, a female Hispanic 69 years old, inside the residence.”

“Deputies made entry into the location and observed the female Hispanic victim [later identified as Dhina Sharp] unresponsive. The suspect [later identified as Joshua Sharp] then barricaded himself in the garage of the residence,” according to the sheriff’s news release.

The sheriff’s department’s Special Enforcement Bureau [SWAT team]  responded to the scene, assumed tactical command, and evacuated surrounding homes in the area. About five hours later, at 11:33 a.m., the sheriff’s department announced that the SWAT operation concluded with the suspect [Joshua Sharp] in custody.

Joshua Sharp was initially arrested on suspicion of being an “addict in possession of [a] firearm,” according to local arrest records. Murder and the other  felony charges were filed against Joshua Sharp on Tuesday, May 3, according to court records.

The sheriff’s department did not disclose how Dhina Sharp died, but the LA County Coroner’s Office website states that Dhina Sharp died from “strangulation and multiple blunt force injuries.”

Joshua Sharp was scheduled to be arraigned on May 3, but his arraignment was postponed to May 19, according to court records. He remains jailed on more than $2 million bail.

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