The son of a man killed during a Pico Rivera home-invasion robbery almost two years ago was convicted Friday along with a 17-year-old boy.
Co-defendant Angel Emilio Estrello — who was 15 at the time of the crime and now is 17 — was convicted of one count each of first-degree murder and first-degree burglary, along with two counts of home-invasion robbery, according to Risling.
Jurors also found true the special circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of a robbery against both defendants, who were tried as adults before separate juries.
Gutierrez and Estrello could face potential life prison terms, with sentencing set Sept. 19 for Gutierrez and Sept. 23 for Estrello. Neither faced the death penalty because of their ages at the time of the crime.
Mental competency proceedings are pending for Jesus Rafael Adame, 20, who was charged along with the two.
Authorities said the elder Gutierrez was attacked inside his home at about 1:35 a.m. in a gated community in the 3700 block of Oaklawn Lane, with Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies later naming his then-17-year-old son as a wanted “person of interest.”
The victim’s son and Adame were picked up in a park the next day by Montebello police, and charged two days later with murder. Estrello was charged Sept. 26, 2014.
The elder Gutierrez had been attacked inside his home, and cash, credit cards and the family vehicle were taken, prosecutors said shortly after the charges were filed.
— City to News Service