Two brothers who fatally assaulted a 27-year-old Jurupa Valley man were both sentenced Friday to state prison.
Juan Luis Aguilar, 38, and Miguel Angel Aguilar, 34, both pleaded guilty in January to voluntary manslaughter under a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. They were originally charged with murder, but that count was dismissed as part of the plea deal.
Superior Court Judge John Molloy certified the terms of the bargain and imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense — six years imprisonment for Juan Aguilar, and 12 years in prison for his younger brother.
The brothers, both convicted felons, killed Esteban Perez.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Wally Clear, the attack happened in the predawn hours of March 21, 2019, in the 6300 block of Etiwanda Avenue, near Limonite Avenue, in Jurupa Valley.
The Aguilars assaulted Perez next to his vehicle during an argument, but prosecutors did not specify what sparked the confrontation. He was discovered later in his car, unconscious, prompting calls to 911.
The victim was taken to Riverside Community Hospital, where he died three days later.
Detectives pieced together the events surrounding the attack, culminating in the identification of the defendants as the assailants, according to Clear.
Court records show that Juan Aguilar’s prior convictions include possession of controlled substances, spousal abuse, auto theft and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. His younger brother’s priors include felony evading, auto theft, possession of controlled substances and possession of burglary tools.