A jury June 30 convicted a Harbison Canyon man of second-degree murder and attempted murder in the 2014 shootings of a man he found sleeping with his girlfriend in the Dehesa area of El Cajon.
Abel Angel Martinez, 52, was found guilty of killing Eufracio Alberto Enriquez, 38, and attempted murder of Leila Farmer, 41, when both were shot in bed around 6 a.m. in the 1500 block of Wilson Road on March 16, 2014.
A jury June 30 convicted a Harbison Canyon man of second-degree murder and attempted murder in the 2014 shootings of a man he found sleeping with his girlfriend in the Dehesa area of El Cajon.
Abel Angel Martinez, 52, was found guilty of killing Eufracio Alberto Enriquez, 38, and attempted murder of Leila Farmer, 41, when both were shot in bed around 6 a.m. in the 1500 block of Wilson Road on March 16, 2014.
Deputy District Attorney Amy Colby said Martinez faces a maximum term of 77 years to life in prison. El Cajon Superior Court Judge Evan Kirvin set sentencing for July 29.
The seven man, five woman jury deliberated almost two days before convicting Martinez in a re-trial that began with testimony on June 10. A previous jury deadlocked without reaching a verdict in Oct., 2015.
Enriquez died at the scene, but Farmer was wounded in both arms as she raised both arms above her head. Farmer’s words to deputies and on the 911 call were heard by the jury, but she did not testify in the retrial. Farmer is serving an unrelated 4-year prison term for attempted robbery that occurred three weeks after the shooting.
Sheriff’s deputies found the murder weapon hidden in brush about 80 yards from where he lived. Deputies found graphic drawings and unflattering letters about Enriquez and Farmer that depicted stick figures and gunshots underneath his mattress which were shown in court.
Martinez testified that he entered the tiny residence and fought with Enriquez over a gun that was on a table. He claimed that Enriquez was shooting at him. His attorney, Thomas Bahr, said Martinez only came over to the residence to help his girlfriend and he had been friends with Enriquez for 18 years. He asked for an acquittal. Martinez remains in jail on $2 million bail.
Drunk driver convicted of two counts of second-degree murder
A drunk driver was convicted June 30 of two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of his passengers who were killed in East County as he was taking them home from a party in 2014.
Jurors also convicted Mario Alberto Carranza, 28, of two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter in the April 19, 2014 deaths of Monica Lupercio, 20, and Carlos Kristopher Vargas, 20.
Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright said Carranza faces a maximum term of 30 years to life in prison. El Cajon Superior Court Judge Ronald Frazier set sentencing for Aug. 19.
Carranza took his guests to a party in Alpine the night before and spent the night in a bathtub. The next morning, he was still intoxicated and lost control of his vehicle on Interstate 8 in Blossom Valley. He drifted onto the center divider, overcorrected, and drove through a chain link fence before overturning in a concrete culvert.
His blood/alcohol level at a hospital was .27, which is three times the legal limit. Bright argued his alcohol level showed “conscious disregard for life.” She said Carranza made no braking movements before the fatal crash and used cocaine the night of the party.
Carranza, of San Diego, testified he did not remember some things from 30 hours of classes with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) that he was ordered when he had a drunk driving conviction in 2007.
“We all learn things and forget things,” said Carranza’s attorney, George Siddell about the MADD classes.
Siddell said Carranza was given special education classes in school and has “learning issues.” He argued Carranza had no intent to injure anyone and suffered a concussion and broken bones from the crash. He said an expert witness testified the crash could have occurred even if Carranza had not been drinking.
Jurors deliberated about 8.5 hours over three days before convicting Carranza on all counts. Lupercio was from San Diego and Vargas was from Chula Vista. The trial began June 20. Carranza remains in jail on $1 million bail.
