Oxnard man found guilty of second degree murder for May hit-and-run

A man charged with intentionally hitting and killing a man in Oxnard in May has been found guilty of second degree murder.

Juan Dedios Gallegos III, 26, of Oxnard was found guilty by a jury in the death of 31-year-old Michael James Holley. Gallegos was also found guilty of using his vehicle as a deadly weapon.

Holley was struck and killed in an alley on the 2000 block of Mariposa Street on May 23. Investigators spoke with witnesses who said the driver of a white pickup intentionally struck and killed the man.

Police began investigating the incident as a homicide, the sixth in the city at the time. Detectives interviewed numerous people which led police to identify Gallegos as the driver. Holley’s blood was later found on Gallegos’ truck.

Gallegos was arrested in June for Holley’s death. He was already in jail at the time on a parole violation.

Gallegos remains in custody at the Ventura County Jail. He is set to be sentenced on December 9. He faces a maximum sentence of 36 years to life in prison.

KEYT 2019