Raymond Barrera—Latino, age 23
Sentenced in Riverside County, California
By: a jury
Date of Crime: 6/27/13, 6/30/13, 7/8/13
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Barerra killed three victims and tried to kill another because they were either “dropouts” from his gang or “snitches.” No information was found regarding the defense approach to the case.
Sources: Press-Enterprise (Riverside) 10/28/17 (2017 WLNR 33524440)
Christopher Cheary—white, age 21
Sentenced in Tulare County,
By: a jury
Date of Crime: 5/7/11
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Cheary was the live-in boyfriend of the 3-year-old victim. Cheary sexually assaulted and beat the child, which caused her death days later. The defense presented evidence that Cheary had a difficult childhood and became a drug abuser. Off the record Cheary proclaimed his innocence.
Sources: Tulare Advance-Register 11/22/16 (2016 WLNR 35804065), 1/31/17 (2017 WLNR 36211705)
David Contreras—Latino, age 24
Sentenced in Riverside County, California
By: a jury
Date of Crime: 12/29/12, 2/4/13
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Contreras killed three people seemingly at random over a two-month period. He killed the three victims in knife attacks while they were talking walks. The defense presented evidence that he was a paranoid schizophrenic who had experienced hallucinations for years, as well as evidence that he was a good employee and devoted to his family.
Sources: Press-Enterprise (Riverside) 3/22/17 (2017 WLNR 8863149), 3/23/17 (2017 WLNR 8984062)
James Ellis—black, age 21
Sentenced in San Bernardino County,
By: a jury
Date of Crime: 11/23/09
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Ellis killed two men in a robbery during a drug deal while involved in gang activity. The defense contended that Ellis had grown up in a gang-saturated environment, and that the two co-perpetrators were more responsible than Ellis.
Sources: Daily Press (Victorville) 6/20/17 (2017 WLNR 19041785)
Steven Gordon—white, age 45
Sentenced in Orange County, California
By: a jury
Date of Crime: 2013-2014
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Gordon and a co-perpetrator picked up four women from prostitution hubs during a two-year period, had sex with them, and then the co-perpetrator strangled them. No information was found regarding the defense approach to the case.
Sources: Orange County Register 2/3/17 (2017 WLNR 3619203)
Lorraine Hunter—black, age 54
Sentenced in Riverside County, California
By: a jury
Date of Crime: 11/3/09
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Hunter and her daughter forged Hunter’s husband’s name on life insurance applications. Then Hunter shot and killed him in order to inherit over $1 million in insurance proceeds. The prosecution argued that she had killed a previous husband in a very similar manner. No information was found regarding the defense approach to the case.
Sources: Press-Enterprise (Riverside) 12/9/17 (2017 WLNR 38224660)
Elias Lopez—Latino, age 18
Sentenced in Riverside County, California
By: a jury
Date of Crime: 10/10/04, 10/26/04
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Lopez committed two separate gang-related murders. The defense contended that the prosecution had not proven that Lopez committed both murders, but only that the same gun was used. At a trial in 2016 the jury deadlocked 11-1 for conviction. In the retrial Lopez was convicted and sentenced to death.
Sources: Desert Sun (Palm Springs) 8/27/10 (2010 WLNR 17151068), Patch CA News Partner 1/13/17
Johnny Lopez—Latino, age 35
Sentenced in Riverside County, California
By: a jury
Date of Crime: 11/9/13
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Lopez entered the home of estranged wife, shot his 5-year-old daughter, and then shot his estranged wife. He drove two blocks away before turning around to come back and shoot each victim again. Finally, he drove to his girlfriend’s house where he slashed her throat and choked her, although she survived. In an interview with the police Lopez said he had a contract with the devil to commit the crimes, and had been drinking and using drugs before perpetrating the offenses. The defense argued that Lopez was suffering from a psychotic break at the time of the crimes.
Sources: Press-Enterprise (Riverside) 10/7/16 (2016 WLNR 30848691), 10/20/16 (2016 WLNR 32231415)
Heraclio Meza—Latino, age 20
Sentenced in Los Angeles County, California
By: a jury
Date of Crime: 7/16/09, 7/17/09
Prosecution’s case/defense response: On back-to-back days Meza shot and killed two victims in gang-related incidents. No information was found regarding the defense approach to the case.
Sources: http://homicide.latimes.com/post/man-sentenced-death-two-gang-related-murders-july-2009/
Cherie Rhoades—Native American, age 44
Sentenced in Placer County, California
By: a jury
Date of Crime: 2/20/14
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Rhoades had been banished from 35-person Northern Paiute tribe for suspected embezzlement while she was chairwoman. She went to the tribal office/community center for a hearing on whether she should be evicted from her tribal home. There she shot six victims, four of whom died. She fired until she ran out of bullets, and then stabbed one of the victims with a butcher knife. The deceased included her brother, her niece, and her nephew. No information was found regarding the defense approach to the case.
Sources: Redding Record Searchlight 4/10/17 (2017 WLNR 11075999)
Darnell Washington—black, age 24
Sentenced in Contra Costa County, California
By: a jury
Date of Crime: 10/5/12
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Washington escaped from jail and began a six-week crime spree that included burglarizing the victim’s home and killing her by beating and stabbing. No information was found regarding the defense approach to the case.
Sources: https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2016/09/28/darnell-washington-guilty-of-murdering-susie-ko/