A Wonder Valley man who pleaded guilty in a Joshua Tree courtroom April 27 to killing a Twentynine Palms man and stealing his car two years ago has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Bryon Calvert was reported missing by his family on January 30, 2019, when he didn’t arrive at a friend’s house as promised. Later that evening, Bobby Collins was spotted by a family member driving Calvert’s car on Interstate 10 in Indio at a high rate of speed. Collins was subsequently arrested by the California Highway Patrol. Investigators learned that Collins had recently started a relationship with Calvert. Sheriff’s deputies got a search warrant for Collins’ home in the 4700 block of Gillespie Road in Wonder Valley and found Calvert’s body. Collins was arrested on suspicion of murdering Calvert. Following a mental health evaluation last month, which declared Collins competent, Bobby Collins pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, carjacking, mayhem, and assault with a deadly weapon, not a firearm. He was sentenced last week to a total of 25 years for his crimes with a credit of 951 days for time served and good conduct. A restitution hearing has been scheduled for July 30.
