Vista CA— The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Naval Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) and San Diego County District Attorney’s Office announced today that John Wesley Noble, 58, was arraigned on one felony count of murder in the North County Division of the San Diego Court in connection with a cold case homicide committed over 20 years ago.
On Christmas Eve 1991, Corporal Lindell Mitchell, an active duty Marine and combat veteran from Desert Shield/Storm, was murdered by a group of assailants in his own home. The case went cold for over 20 years, until new leads were developed through the continuing investigation of the San Diego Sheriff’s Department and Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
As a result of the exhaustive investigations by both agencies, the San Diego District Attorney’s Office prosecuted one of the involved individuals, Kimberly Andrews, for her role in the murder of Lindell Mitchell.
In late May 2015, Kimberly Andrews was convicted of First-Degree Murder by a jury in the San Diego Superior Court – North County Division. Andrews currently faces sentencing for her crime on November 2nd, 2015, in San Diego Superior Court Case #SCN337317.
The continuing efforts of the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, NCIS, and the San Diego District Attorney’s Office to hold those responsible for the Christmas Eve 1991 murder of Corporal Lindell Mitchell to answer for their crimes led to today’s charge.
Defendant Noble is due back on court on October 19th in North County Department 14 for a status hearing.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Homicide Detail at (858) 974-2321/after hours at (858) 565-5200. You can also remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 and be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Arrest Made in Vista Cold Case Homicide
October 14, 2015