Ojai man pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter of friend

VENTURA, CALIF. – Ventura County District Attorney Erik Narasenko announced Friday that a 28-year-old Ojai man pled guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter for killing his friend Houston Auer, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office (VC DAO).

The 28-year-old also admitted to many special allegations and aggravating factors that included the use of a deadly weapon, explained the VC DAO.

Auer died in his bedroom at his grandmother's house on May 12, 2019, after the Ojai resident struck him with a sledgehammer, according to the VCDAO.

The man then dragged Auer's body out of the bedroom window before he dumped it in the Angeles National Forest, detailed the VCDAO.

The Ojai resident was then taken into custody by Ventura County Sheriff's deputies from his mother's house on May 13, 2019, explained the VC DAO.

A Department of Fish and Wildlife warden found Auer's body over a month later on June 23, 2019 after patrolling a road, detailed the VC DAO.

Eight days of testimonies came starting Feb. 1 this year from around 26 prosecution witnesses but a mistrial was declared due to the inadvertent admission of evidence before a ruling was made, explained the VC DAO.

The VC DAO set the case for a retrial but both sides didn't uncover any new evidence that wasn't already present in the first trial.

Evidence in both verbal and text exchanges between the friends presented a motive leading to an additional charge of voluntary manslaughter, which the Ojai man later pled guilty to, said the VC DAO.

The 28-year-old is now scheduled for sentencing on May 17 with an expected state prison term of 18 years, explained the VC DAO.