Aaron Jabezz Holmes sentenced to 54 years for the 2015 murder of Angel Diaz in Oxnard
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) - Aaron Jabezz Holmes of Oxnard was sentenced to 54 years to life for the 2015 murder of Angel Diaz and for the assault of another person Monday.
Holmes previously pled no contest to his charge of murder in the first degree on Sep. 24, 2025, and he admitted to several special allegations an aggravating factors including that he had a prior strike stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release Tuesday.
During his sentencing hearing, Holmes' prior strike conviction for robbery was struck over the objection of prosecutors noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Removing the prior conviction reduced the amount of time Holmes will be required to serve before becoming eligible for parole. The 30-year-old will now be eligible for parole around the age of 44 instead of around the age of 60 explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Youthful offender parole is extended to people convicted in California under the age of 26 and allows for early parole consideration based on perceived immaturity of decision making added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
"The court’s decision to strike the prior strike over our objection significantly altered the practical
effect of this sentence by accelerating parole eligibility," said Senior Deputy District Attorney Theresa Pollara who prosecuted the case.
On April 30, 2015, 19-year-old Holmes joined two adults and two minors in a violent crime spree during which Holmes identified an individual he saw as, "an enemy", demanded the driver stop the vehicle, and then fired a gun at the person who fled the area on a bicycle detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
The fleeing bicyclist was hit in the foot noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Later the same evening, Holmes and a minor exited the vehicle and robbed a group of teenagers practicing a dance routine in a parking lot at gunpoint shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Holmes was attempting to commit another robbery when he spotted Angel Diaz sitting in his truck outside a donut shop on Rose Avenue in Oxnard.
Diaz had just finished a late shift and was eating his dinner in his truck so he didn't wake his family after coming home when Holmes tapped on the driver side window with a loaded firearm shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Diaz attempted to escape by shifting his truck into drive, but Holmes fired through the window, killing Diaz and the truck rolled forward and into the donut shop stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Holmes and the others fled the scene before the arrival of police, but he was later arrested in connection with the murder in September of 2016.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Holmes committed several felonies while incarcerated including the assault of two deputies and conspiring with a family member to smuggle methamphetamine while being transported for medical treatment.
Holmes pled guilty and was sentenced to three years on each of those separate cases added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
