MARTINEZ — Two Harmony males accepted homicide convictions and life sentences, three years after they have been arrested and charged with murdering a person over a bicycle, courtroom information present.
Jose “Flacco” Hernandez-Barajas, 24, and Luis Angel Mendoza, 22, each pleaded no contest to second diploma homicide within the February 2019 taking pictures loss of life of 27-year-old Carlos Ernesto Nunez. Police consider the motive needed to do with Hernandez-Barajas believing that Nunez was using a bicycle that belonged to Hernandez-Barajas’ uncle.
Nunez was shot and killed shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2019, close to Clayton Highway and Detroit Avenue in Harmony.
Surveillance footage of the murder exhibits a person operating as much as Nunez as he rides on a bicycle, then taking pictures him a number of occasions, in accordance with police. The post-mortem confirmed he had six gunshot wounds to the pinnacle, together with at the least two that have been fired at shut vary.
Harmony police investigators recognized Mendoza and Hernandez-Barajas as suspects after a confidential informant advised detectives that at the least one of many shooters had been contacted by police throughout a marijuana arrest 4 months earlier than the murder. Police appeared up the incident and located that each males had been questioned.
Mendoza’s girlfriend later advised police that he’d come dwelling shortly after the homicide, vomited, and mentioned he’d witnessed Hernandez-Barajas shoot somebody, in accordance with police. Throughout questioning, he allegedly advised police that Hernandez-Barajas confronted Nunez concerning the bicycle, and that Nunez provided to promote it again to him. Hernandez-Barajas allegedly then retrieved a gun, got here again, and shot Nunez.
Surveillance footage exhibits that three males — together with each suspects — and two girls have been seen casing the realm shortly earlier than the taking pictures. Prosecutors charged each males with “personally and deliberately” taking pictures Nunez, although police wrote in courtroom information there gave the impression to be only one shooter.
Mendoza’s legal professional has since retired and Hernandez-Barajas’ lawyer didn’t return emails in search of remark. The District Lawyer’s workplace declined to touch upon the plea deal, which was finalized Mar. 17.
Each males will obtain parole eligibility after serving 15 years in state jail, courtroom information present.