Man sentenced to 23 years to life for attempted murder and kidnapping of wife in Oxnard

Ventura County Judge Anthony Sabo sentenced Gustavo Diaz, 31, of Oxnard to 23 years to life in prison for crimes committed against his spouse including premeditated attempted murder and kidnapping on Tuesday in Ventura.

Ventura County District Attorney Gregory Totten made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon.

Diaz faced a maximum possible sentence of 28 years to life.

The incident occurred on December 10, 2015, Diaz forced the victim into her car at knife point.

Diaz drove erratically throughout the county while threatening to kill her.

The victim jumped out of the car during a stop at a red light and yelled for help in the city of Fillmore.

Diaz forcibly pulled the victim back into the car and sped away.

White driving east on Highway 126, Diaz stabbed the victim multiple times in the chest, arm and back while continuing to threaten her life.

The victim eventually jumped out of the moving vehicle in an effort to save her life.

The victim’s injuries required surgery to repair.

Diaz disposed of the knife and the victim’s car in a remote canyon in Los Angeles County.

On August 22, a jury convicted Diaz of premeditated attempted murder, kidnapping, inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, assault with a deadly weapon and criminal threats.

The jury also found that Diaz had personally inflicted great bodily injury upon the victim and personally used a deadly weapon and criminal threats.

The case was investigated by the Oxnard Police Department, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The case was prosecuted by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Sexual Assault and Family Protection Unit.

KEYT 2019