Kristian Fonseca sentenced to life without parole for double murder and two attempted murders
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Kristian Fonseca has been sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 114 years to life for the 2020 first-degree murders of Jose Estrada and Daniel Zuniga and two attempted murders.
On March 20 of this year, a Ventura County jury found Fonseca guilty of the two murders, two attempted murders, and one count of being in possession of a firearm less than ten years following a conviction.
On October 12, 2019, Fonseca and two others were driving along Ventura Avenue in Santa Paula when they stopped at an East Simpson Street liquor store stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
The trio spotted two men standing near a food truck and one of the men who had arrived with Fonseca asked the other men "Where are you from?" before Fonseca opened fire with a shotgun detailed the local prosecutor's office.
One of the men was hit multiple times and suffered life-threatening injuries that required emergency surgery and led to medical complications to this day shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Surveillance video captured some of the incident and officers later recovered four spent shotgun shells from the scene noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
A little over one year later, on October 24, 2020, Fonseca was attending a party in a Santa Paula front yard when three rival gang members approached from down the street after a series of earlier verbal confrontations explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
A physical altercation ensued at the scene in which Fonseca and one of the rival gang members fought in the street detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
After the fight, Fonseca retrieved a firearm and opened fire on the three men stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Two of the men died from their injuries and the third was injured, but survived shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, evidence showed that Fonseca continued to fire at close range after the victims has fallen, including while one of the men could be heard pleading for his life.
A total of ten 9mm shell casings were recovered from the scene, a majority near the final resting place of the two deceased men noted the local prosecutor's office.
The firearm used during the shooting was never recovered added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
"Fonseca believed he could avoid capture and accountability for his crimes, but through the dedicated work of Detective Anthony Reginato and our law enforcement partners, justice ultimately caught up with him," said Supervising Senior Deputy District Attorney Blake Heller. "This sentence ensures he will spend the rest of his life paying for the devastation he caused to these victims, their families, and the community."
