A felon who fatally beat a 40-year-old man in a San Jacinto park was bound for state prison Monday to serve a term of 31 years to life behind bars after pleading guilty to first-degree murder.
Angel Eduardo Guzman Banuelos, 20, of San Jacinto admitted the felony count, along with a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony, under a plea agreement Friday with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. No charges were dismissed.
During a hearing at the Banning Justice Center, Superior Court Judge Mark Singerton certified the terms of the plea deal and imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense.
Banuelos killed David Montero of San Jacinto in September 2024.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Jarred Bishop and court documents, the attack happened shortly before 10 p.m. on Sept. 22 at Mistletoe Park in the 500 block of East Main Street, near Mistletoe Avenue.
Bishop said patrol deputies were called to the location to investigate reports of an assault and discovered Montero “suffering from traumatic injuries.”
The ensuing investigation determined the victim had been struck with a baseball bat, as well as possibly stabbed.
Montero was hospitalized and remained in intensive care for four days before succumbing to his injuries.
Central Homicide Unit detectives ultimately identified Banuelos as the assailant. Although the two men knew one another, no other information was disclosed, including a possible motive.
A preliminary hearing was never held in the case.
The defendant was tracked to Enrico Fermiz Drive in San Diego, where he was taken into custody without incident on the afternoon of Oct. 17, 2024
Court records showed that he had a prior conviction for robbery.