DA: Man who escaped apprehension for 2 decades convicted of double murder
Nov. 22—A man who had fled to Mexico for nearly two decades and was extradited to the United States in April 2023 was convicted Wednesday of killing his estranged wife and a man with whom she was in a relationship.The Kern County District Attorney's Office said Gustavo Soria pleaded no contest to two counts of first-degree murder and admitted he used a firearm in both killings.Soria was convicted of killing Pamela Soria and Jose DeLaGarza Jr. after being angry that she was in a relationship with him, the DA's office reported.On Sept. 23, 2004, Gustavo Soria drove to DeLaGarza's home and shot the unarmed man numerous times as he sat in his truck. He then went to his estranged wife's home, followed her to her bedroom and shot her several times in view of the couple's then 14-year-old daughter, according to a DA's news release.He took off in a rental vehicle he obtained the night before and fled to Mexico, where he lived until the FBI found him."I am grateful for law enforcement's extensi
Nov. 22—A man who had fled to Mexico for nearly two decades and was extradited to the United States in April 2023 was convicted Wednesday of killing his estranged wife and a man with whom she was in a relationship.
The Kern County District Attorney's Office said Gustavo Soria pleaded no contest to two counts of first-degree murder and admitted he used a firearm in both killings.
Soria was convicted of killing Pamela Soria and Jose DeLaGarza Jr. after being angry that she was in a relationship with him, the DA's office reported.
On Sept. 23, 2004, Gustavo Soria drove to DeLaGarza's home and shot the unarmed man numerous times as he sat in his truck. He then went to his estranged wife's home, followed her to her bedroom and shot her several times in view of the couple's then 14-year-old daughter, according to a DA's news release.
He took off in a rental vehicle he obtained the night before and fled to Mexico, where he lived until the FBI found him.
"I am grateful for law enforcement's extensive efforts to apprehend a dangerous fugitive that escaped accountability nearly two decades ago. Today, justice prevails," DA Cynthia Zimmer said in a statement.
Gustavo Soria faces 100 years to life in prison at his Jan. 9 sentencing in Kern County Superior Court.
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