3 Found Guilty Of Murder In 2009 Botched Robbery
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Three men, two of which are brothers, were convicted Friday of first-degree murder for gunning down three people during a botched robbery at a Compton apartment building in 2009.
The shooter, 20-year-old Hector Martin Prieto, faces a possible death sentence during his penalty phase, which begins Monday.
Prieto, along with his 23-year-old brother Jose and 21-year-old Jesse Robles were found guilty on multiple counts of murder, including special-circumstances allegations that the killings occurred during the commission of a robbery for financial gain and to further the activities of a street gang.
The other two men could get life in prison without the possibility of parole when they are sentenced by Superior Court Judge Curtis B. Rappe on May 20.
The defendants showed no reaction as the jury verdicts were read aloud.
Sinecia Miller, Andrew Williams and Ronald Carter were each shot in the head at the apartment in the 1200 block of East Rosecrans Avenue on March 29, 2009.
KNX 1070's Kim Marriner reports that the defendants claimed they broke into the apartment looking for money so the brothers could bail their mother out of jail. She was in Los Angeles County jail on a misdemeanor resisting-arrest charge, prosecutors said.
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"The cost was very clear... $4,000 and three lives," Deputy District Attorney Teresa Magno said in her opening statement.
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