BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A Kern County man faces up to 32 years to life in prison after being convicted of several charges, including attempted murder, after shooting a person while they were sleeping back in April 2025.
The Kern County District Attorney’s Office said on April 30, 2026, a jury found Devaun Means guilty of attempted murder, assault on a person with a firearm, battery with serious bodily injury, second-degree burglary, felon in possession of a firearm, and felon in possession of ammunition.
The jury also found true that Means committed the attempted murder by intentionally discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury.
The Kern County District Attorney’s Office said on April 30, 2026, a jury found Devaun Means guilty of attempted murder, assault on a person with a firearm, battery with serious bodily injury, second-degree burglary, felon in possession of a firearm, and felon in possession of ammunition. PHOTO: Kern County DA
The DA’s Office said on the early afternoon of April 21, 2025, Means and the victim were at a family gathering when the two became involved in a physical altercation with each other. After the incident, Means told several family members he would “get his get back” on the victim.
According to the DA’s office, at around 12:30 a.m. on April 22, 2025, the victim was sleeping in a shed located behind the main residence of a home in Wasco. While the victim was asleep, Means entered the shed and shot the victim four times, striking him in the abdomen, thigh and arm. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered the firearm used in the shooting from Means’ home. Additional crime scene analysis further linked Means to the offense.
District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer commented by, “Conflicts that escalate to the use of a firearm in an attempt to take a life out of ‘revenge’ are completely unacceptable. Such behavior will not be tolerated, as it clearly demonstrates Means’ lack of awareness and the threat he poses to public safety.”
Means’ sentencing is set for June 1, 2026, where he faces a sentence of up to 32 years to life in prison.