Man, 24, Convicted Of Murdering Male Friend Who Initiated Unwanted Sexual Advance
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A Santa Ana jury on Thursday found a male defendant guilty of second degree murder for killing a friend who initiated an unwanted sexual advance in 2011.
Edgar Salvador Luciozamudio, now 24, faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in state prison at his sentencing March 28.
Luciozamudio — a Buena Park man — was friendly with 47-year-old Ricardo Rios for approximately four to five months prior to the night of Dec. 14, 2011.
The defendant was with Rios in a detached garage, where the victim lived.
At approximately 3:30 a.m., Luciozamudio was thrown out of Rios’ garage after he allegedly refused Rios’ sexual advances. Luciozamudio exchanged angry words with Rios as he was on the driveway by his sedan.
Officials said the victim threw a small metal weight that struck Luciozamudio’s car. The defendant then chased Rios back to his converted garage and attacked him by punching him repeatedly, breaking the victim’s jaw, nose, orbital bone, and several ribs.
Luciozamudio fled the scene and called 911 to report that Rios may need medical assistance. The victim died as a result of his injuries.