Gerardo Almanza Sentenced To Over 39 Years For the April 2024 Murder of His Father

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (KEYT) – Gerardo Arroyo Almanza was sentenced to 39 years four months to life in prison for the murder of his father and criminal threats against other family members after they had gathered at his Simi Valley home in April of 2024 to check on his well-being.

The 37-year-old previously pled guilty to second-degree murder of his father, Alfredo Arroyo Sancen, and three counts of criminal threats against family members as well as a prior strike offense and that he used a weapon in August of this year.

In April of 2024, several members of Almanza's family drove to his home in Simi Valley to check on his well-being shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

While the family was gathered around their vehicles across the street from the residence, Almanza ran out of the house, confronted his family with a knife and threatened to kill them all detailed prosecutors.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Almanza chased his mother and father around a parked car before catching his father, pinning him to the ground, and stabbing him several times.

Neighbors began to gather at the scene and Almanza fled the scene while an EMT-trained neighbor rendered first aid to Alfredo Sancen who was transported by medical responders to Los Robles Regional Medical Center where he later died from his injuries explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Almanza was located by responding officers hiding a block away from the scene of the crime noted local prosecutors.

On March 6, 2025, a court-appointed mental health expert determined that Almanza was incompetent to stand trial, but that assessment was later changed on Oct. 6, 2025, shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Members of Almanza's family provided victim impact statements to the court and Jose Iglesias-Arroyo shared in his statement, "To me this is not just a case or a headline, this is my grandfather, this is my family."