Alejandro Antonio Pearce, 20, of Spring Valley, was sentenced on Nov. 22 to 25 years to life in prison for killing Candido Aragon Jr., 21, in 2017.
El Cajon Superior Court Judge Jeff Fraser ordered Pearce to pay $7,500 to the victim’s compensation fund.
The victim’s mother spoke and the mother of his child provided a statement which was read by Deputy District Attorney Chris Rhoads.
A jury convicted Pearce Aug. 5 of first-degree murder and robbery stemming from the Dec. 27, 2017 shooting at the intersection of Concepcion Avenue and San Francisco Street in Spring Valley.
The jury deliberated 2 1/2 days, but they could not reach a verdict on a firearms enhancement. A juvenile was also arrested, but the status of his Juvenile Court case is not public record.
Fraser gave Pearce 652 days credit in jail since his arrest and he was fined $10,294.
Pearce’s girlfriend, Makayla Suseberry, 20, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and elder theft. She will be sentenced in July 2020, and is free on bond.
Kidnapper receives life sentence
Life in prison–plus five years–was handed down on Nov. 18 to a Texas man who kidnapped a Grossmont College student during a carjacking.
Skyler Jace Battreall, 20, will likely have to serve the five-year sentence first and then will be only eligible for parole after he serves seven years of the life term.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Sharon Majors-Lewis ordered Battreall to pay $5,051 in restitution to Brett Charbonnel, 22, whose car was totaled after Battreall crashed it in Pacific Beach on Oct. 14, 2018.
Charbonnel gave Battreall a ride in his Hyundai Elantra, after Battreall said he needed to meet his girlfriend somewhere. Battreall then became demanding and pulled an air soft pellet gun.
Battreall struck the student in the mouth with the gun replica, knocking out two teeth and pushed him out of the car. Charbonnel thought it was a real firearm.
A jury convicted Battreall of kidnapping during a carjacking and inflicting great bodily injury on Sept. 3 after only two hours of deliberations. They also convicted him of assault with a deadly weapon.
“He’s not going to do life,” said Deputy District Attorney James Koerber. “He’s going to have to convince a parole board he’s not going to commit a crime.”
The state legislature has determined that inmates with an indeterminate life sentence must serve a full seven years before they can be considered eligible for parole.
“Does the crime fit the time?” asked Battreall’s attorney, Christopher Montoya. “He does deserve a shot at parole.”
Montoya said the charge should not carry a life sentence and that Battreall will likely be “victimized in prison.”
“He’s going to come out a different person and not in a good way,” said Montoya.
Montoya had argued to jurors to acquit Battreall because he was under the influence of drugs at the time.
“I am truly sorry. There’s not a day I don’t think about it,” said Battreall to the judge.
“Whatever (the sentence) is, I am determined to change myself for the better… make myself a better person,” said Battreall.
The judge gave him credit for serving 460 days in jail and fined him $440.
Battreall testified at trial that he did not have a plan and when he pulled the gun replica out, he also told the student he was wanted for murder, which was not true.
He acknowledged taking cocaine and Ecstasy pills during and after his bus trip from Corsicara, Texas, and he had only arrived in San Diego that day.
“I feel terrible about what happened to him,” said Battreall, saying he had remorse. “It’s an incident that shouldn’t have taken place.”
