A man convicted of attempted murder for stabbing his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend in San Pedro last year was sentenced Wednesday to a potential life prison term.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Katherine Mader — who called the victim’s injuries “horrendous” — ordered Giovanny Santiago-Enriquez, 39, to serve life in prison with a minimum parole date of seven years, and tacked on a four-year prison term.
“To me, it’s not really a classic heat of passion case,” the judge said, noting that the defendant knew his ex-girlfriend was with someone else.
Santiago-Enriquez entered his ex-girlfriend’s home through an unlocked front door, went into her bedroom and stabbed her new boyfriend multiple times early March 9, 2015, then threw the knife out of his car after he fled, authorities said.
Santiago-Enriquez’s ex-girlfriend suffered minor injuries trying to prevent him from stabbing her boyfriend, who was seriously injured.
Santiago-Enriquez fled to Mexico after the stabbing along with his year-old-son, of whom he had primary custody. About one week later Santiago-Enriquez was arrested when he tried to enter the country through the Otay Mesa border crossing. Authorities discovered there was a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of attempted murder.
Santiago-Enriquez was convicted April 22 of one count of attempted murder and two counts of attempted murder.
Jurors acquitted him of one count each of first-degree burglary, kidnapping and child custody deprivation — the latter two involving his son.
–City News Service