By Michael Armijo

Chino Hills – A Chino Hills man was arrested by Homicide Cold Case Detectives last week for the murder of Noel Cornelius that occurred in November of 2005.
Malachi Dawson, Caucasian male, 32 years old (today), resident of Chino Hills, was one of two victims who were named last week.

The victim, Noel Cornelius, 23 years old (at time of death), was a resident of Victorville.

The suspects were Dawson and Michael Marshall, Caucasian male, 33 years old (today), resident of Moultrie, Georgia

On November 27th, 2005, Victor Valley Station deputies responded to a call for service for a dead body in the desert several miles southwest of Dale Evans Parkway off the Interstate 15 freeway in unincorporated Apple Valley. An autopsy was conducted and cause of death was determined to be from gunshot wounds. The victim was identified as Noel Cornelius a resident of Victorville. At the time of the homicide, Noel was married to Rebekah Dawson. Rebekah had two brothers, Malachi and Isaac Dawson.

In 2012, cold case homicide detectives assumed the investigation. Witnesses reported Noel was last seen alive at Malachi and Isaac’s apartment in Apple Valley. Present at the apartment with Noel were Malachi, Isaac and Michael Marshall. Since 2012, cold case detectives have conducted numerous interviews and re-examined physical evidence. On September 11, 2017, Cold Case Detectives Salsberry and Hartleben arrested Malachi for the murder of Noel and booked him at West Valley Detention Center for PC 187-Murder. Bail was set at $1,000,000.00.

On Wednesday, August 16th, 2017, Cold Case Detectives Salsberry and Shumway interviewed Isaac Dawson in Pennsylvania. On Thursday, August 17th, 2017, Salsberry and Shumway interviewed Michael Marshall in Georgia. On Wednesday, October 11th, 2017, Marshall was arrested for PC 187-Murder and booked into Colquitt County Jail in Moultrie, Georgia. On Tuesday, October 17, 2017, Salsberry and Hartleben conducted additional interviews with witnesses residing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On Friday, November 3rd, 2017, Marshall was extradited back to San Bernardino County and booked into West Valley Detention Center for PC 187-Murder.

The cold case team is comprised of Investigators Adam Salsberry, Nick Hartleben, Steve Shumway and Gerrit Tesselaar and Deputy District Attorneys Joel Buckingham and Denise Yoakum. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to contact Detective Adam Salsberry or Sergeant Greg Myler, Homicide Detail (909) 387-3589. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463), or you may leave information on the We-Tip website at http://www.wetip.com