Michael Barbar — white, age 52
Sentenced to death in Riverside County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: November 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Barbar was convicted of smashing his daughter’s, Tamara (age 6) head against a bedpost and strangling his wife, Maysam Barbar (age 43), after discovering the girl was not his. Barbar pulled Tamara out of school to retrieve a DNA sample before spending eight days plotting the murders according to prosecutors. Although defense attorneys asked the jury to find Barbar guilty of involuntary manslaughter, they found the allegations of lying in wait to be true, which made Barbar eligible for the death penalty.
Sources: 11/18/09 AP Alert – NM 09:31:02, 11/25/09 AP Alert – CA 10:36:10, 7/14/12 AP Alert – CA 00:11:43, 8/10/12 AP Alert –CA 22:24:32.
Latece Megale Brown — black, age 32
Sentenced to death in Los Angeles County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: October 24, 2003
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Brown was convicted of the sexual assault and murder of Jacquiese Williams (age 16), in addition to the kidnapping, rape and sodomy of five other victims between 14 and 25 years old. William’s body was found wrapped in a comforter, doused in gasoline and set on fire. Brown, who weighed 405 pounds at the time of the killing, asphyxiated Williams by sitting on her. Prosecutors recited a lengthy list of crimes attributed to Brown, including an assault on a police officer, the rape of a cellmate, and a robbery he committed as a teenager during which he stabbed the victim and cut off part of his earlobe.
Sources: 6/21/12 AP Alert – CA 23:48:24, 6/22/12 UPI NewsTrack 00:00:00, LA Times (CA) 6/22/12 (2012 WLNR 13036438).
Sherhaun Kerod Brown — black, age 29
Sentenced to death in San Bernardino County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: May 7, 2007
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Brown was found guilty of breaking into a Yucca Valley home, raping a woman in front of her 4-year-old son, slitting her throat, and killing her mother-in-law. Defense attorneys argued Brown had a troubled upbringing, losing his mom when he was 12 after she got into a car accident on Christmas Eve and burned to death while trapped in the car.
Sources: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (CA) 2/9/12 (2012 WLNR 2790869), Daily Press (CA) 2/9/12 (2012 WLNR 2808568), Daily Press (CA) 6/8/12 (2012 WLNR 12017235).
Pedro Espinoza — Latino, age 19
Sentenced to death in Los Angeles County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: May 9, 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Espinoza shot Jamiel Shaw (age 17) for carrying a red backpack, the signature color of Espinoza’s rival gang. Espinoza claimed he was willing to kill for his gang, even if it meant going to death row.
Sources: 11/2/12 US State News 00:00:00, LA Times (CA) 11/3/12 (2012 WLNR 23362883), Malone Telegram (NY) 11/3/12 (2012 WLNR 23354277).
Eusebio Fierros, Jr. — Latino, age 18
Sentenced to death in Riverside County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: January 21, 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Fierros and Juan Ramon Cornado, Jr. (age 21) were convicted of the robbery and murder of Lupe Delgadillo (age 85) after luring him out of his home. When Delgadillo came out, Fierros beat him up and threw him in the trunk. They then drove to a remote area where Coronado shot Delgadillo in the face. They proceeded to dump his body in a ravine and cover it in cardboard. Shortly after, they returned to his home to burglarize it.
Sources: The Press Enterprise (CA) 3/9/12 (http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20120310-riverside-county-death-penalty-case-on-hold.ece?ssimg=496817), The Press Enterprise (CA) 5/18/12 (http://www.pe.com/local-news/southwest/southwest-public-safety-headlines/20120518-perris-man-receives-death-in-elderly-neighbors-murder.ece), Inland Politics (CA) 4/12/12 (http://inlandpolitics.com/blog/2012/04/12/the-pe-riverside-county-state-supreme-court-takes-on-public-defender-issue/).
Jawaun Deion Graham — black, age 20
Sentenced to death in Mineral County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: January 22, 2006
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Graham was convicted of shooting Manuel Gomez (age 24) and Joel Rios (age 26) while driving on the freeway. There were two other occupants in the car, one of which was injured. Graham contended the men were using racial slurs towards him. Eight days after the freeway shooting, Graham got into a verbal altercation with three boys. Graham fired multiple shots, wounding two of the boys (ages 15 and 16).
Sources: Reno Gazette (NV) 3/15/06 (2006 WLNR 25478851), 3/15/06 AP Alert – CA 15:30:51, Los Angeles Times (CA) 3/16/06 (2006 WLNR 6952124).
Earl Ellis Green — black, age 44
Sentenced to death in Riverside County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: November 7, 2010
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Green killed Officer Ryan Bonaminio (age 27) after being pulled over on suspicion of being involved in a hit and run. Green ran into a park and when Bonaminio chased him he was attacked with a metal pipe and shot to death.
Sources: 12/2/10 AP Online Regional – US 19:49:56, 4/30/12 AP Alert – CA 21:43:35, 6/25/12 AP Alert – CA 19:32:17.
Michael Hughes — black, age 30 (age when first murder committed)
Sentenced to death in Los Angeles County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: 1986-1993
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Hughes was a former security guard who was convicted as a serial killer responsible for the deaths of Yvonne Coleman (age 15), Verna Williams (age 36), and Deborah Jackson (age 32) between 1986 and 1993. The victims were all sexually assaulted and strangled. Hughes was already serving a life term without the possibility of parole for killing Theresa Ballard (age 26), Brenda Bradley (age 38), Terri Myles (age 33), and Jamie Harrington (age 29). He was believed to have been one of three men responsible for the deaths of as many as 90 women in the 1980s and 90s. Defense attorneys argued Hughes was beaten as a child and witnessed his mother perform a forced abortion on his sister.
Sources: NY Times (NY) 12/18/08 (2008 WLNR 26065834), 11/4/11 AP Alert – CA 22:14:02, KTLA – TV (CA) 12/13/11 (2011 WLNR 25798003), LA Times (CA) 6/23/12 (2012 WLNR 13116927).
David Mills — black, age 31
Sentenced to death in Alameda County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: March 10, 2005
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Mills was convicted of shooting James Lee Martin (age 28), Dale Griffin (age 36), and Rebecca Martinez (age 22). He was also convicted of two counts of animal cruelty because one dog was killed and another injured. Mills lured the victims to a meeting where he claimed he intended to return a borrowed gun. Elizabeth Martinez (age 34) was wounded but survived and testified against Mills at trial. Additionally, Mills confessed to killing Troy Gardner (age 28) on January 1, 1997. Defense attorneys cited Mills horrible childhood and abusive father as mitigating factors.
Sources: 8/2/12 AP Alert – CA 11:11:24, Oakland Tribune (CA) 11/2/12 (2012 WLNR 23371488).
Ryan T. Moore — black, age 32
Sentenced to death in Los Angeles County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: June 30, 2006
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Moore was sentenced to death for a gang-related assault rifle attack that killed David Marcial (age 10), the boy’s uncle, Larry Marcial (age 22) and a 17 year-old neighbor, Luis Cervantes. David’s 12 year-old brother, Sergio, survived. Authorities say the attack was in retaliation for a friend’s killing. Prosecutors cited Moore’s previous convictions of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy as aggravating factors.
Sources: 3/23/12 AP Alert – CA 22:57:53, Our Weekly 3/23/12 (http://www.ourweekly.com/los-angeles/man-sentenced-death-49th-street-massacre).
Gabriel Alexander Ronquillo — Latino, age 26
Sentenced to death in Los Angeles County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: 1999 & 2004
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Ronquillo was convicted of the murder of Gary Frausto (age 47) in 2004 and David Borunda (age 23) in 1999. The 2004 killing was gang related as Ronquillo was an active member of the Mexican Mafia who ordered him to kill Frausto’s brother and in a case of mistaken identity, stabbed the wrong brother. Likewise, the 1999 murder resulted from Ronquillo shooting Borunda who was a rival gang member.
Sources: 1/4/12 AP Alert – CA 14:05:14, 3/15/12 AP Alert – CA 22:05:10, 3/16/12 AP Alert – CA 00:30:20.
Marco Antonio Topete — Latino, age 35
Sentenced to death in Yolo County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: June 15, 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Following a high-speed chase on suspicion of drunk driving, Topete shot and killed Deputy Jose Antonio Diaz (age 39) after abandoning his car and leaving his infant daughter behind. Topete had a long criminal history, including 9 years in prison for a shooting and a parole violation. Topete was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder with the special circumstances of lying in wait, murder to avoid arrest, murder by a gang member and murder of a peace officer. Defense attorneys argued that due to mitigating factors such as: attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, antisocial personality disorder, alcohol addiction, and complex trauma due to years of childhood abuse and exposure to violence Topete’s life should have been spared.
Sources: Appeal-Democrat (CA) 10/9/08 (2008 WLNR 19201875), Davis Enterprise (CA) 2/8/12 (2012 WLNR 2735309, Sacramento Bee (CA) 2/8/12 (2012 WLNR 2700837).
Manling Tsang Williams — Asian, age 27
Sentenced to death in Los Angeles County, California
By: a jury
Date of crime: August 2007
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Williams was found guilty of stabbing her husband, Neal Williams (age 27) to death and smothering her two sons, Ian (age 3) and Devon (age 7) with a pillow. Neal Williams was stabbed more than 90 times. Authorities said Williams killed her family so she could be with a lover who wanted her to divorce.
Sources: 8/10/11 AP Alert – CA 05:47:26, 1/19/12 AP Online Regional – US 20:41:41, KTLA – TV (CA) 1/20/12 (2012 WLNR 1387343).