Jury returns death penalty verdict for gang slayings in Tulare County

A jury of 10 men and two women in Tulare County returned a death penalty verdict Thursday in the case of a gang member who killed a man who had been beaten with brass knuckles and ordered the murder of another man to silence him.

The death penalty verdict was reached after four hours of deliberation, the Tulare County District Attorney's Office said.

Norteño gang member Eric Jimenez, 33, of Strathmore – his gang moniker is Psycho – was convicted June 13 of two murders.

One was first-degree murder with the special circumstances of being committed in the commission of a robbery. In the killing of a second victim, he was found guilty of murder to help a criminal street gang. Plus he was found guilty of second-degree murder with the special allegation it was committed to help the street gang.

The same jury also found him guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to dissuade a witness from testifying, dissuading a witness from testifying, residential robbery and vehicle theft, all felonies, the District Attorney's Office said.

Jimenez had five previous felony convictions between 2004 and 2012: carrying a concealed and loaded gun, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, vandalism, possession of a deadly weapon in jail, and possession of brass knuckles.

The District Attorney's Office gave this account of the murders:

On the night of March 28, 2012, Jimenez and gang member Matthew Campos, 28, walked into the Porterville garage of Jimenez’s girlfriend, Raquel Espinosa, 29, as she was talking to 39-year-old Jorge Ayon.

Jimenez knew the victim often carried money and drugs. After a brief exchange, Jimenez pistol whipped Ayon and held his hands while Campos struck him with brass knuckles.

Jimenez then ordered Espinosa to get an electrical cord, which was used to strangle the victim to death.

Jimenez and Campos took the drugs and money, rolled the victim up in a carpet and put his body in the extended cab of his own pickup truck. They drove away, with Jimenez dropping Campos at his home before going to a mechanic's shed on private property outside Porterville.

At the shed, Jimenez placed the victim’s body in a service pit, poured gasoline over the body and set it on fire. The owner of the property saw the smoke and notified authorities.

Porterville police tracked him down April 23, 2012, found the brass knuckles and arrested him. On May 25, Campos, who had told his friends about the murder, was arrested along with Espinosa.

In jail, Jimenez feared people would tell police what he did, so he conspired to murder 19-year-old Michael Avalos.

On Nov. 9, 2017, Campos was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 16 years-to-life in prison.

Meanwhile, Espinosa pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and is awaiting sentencing on June 27.

"The death penalty is not something to be taken lightly," District Attorney Tim Ward said. "It is reserved for the most heinous, callous, and depraved crimes imaginable. I am grateful to law enforcement and prosecutors for working tirelessly and investing countless hours to secure justice for the families of the victims."

Judge Kathryn Montejano presided over the trial.

The case was prosecuted by Supervising Deputy District Attorney Melissa Chabra and investigated by Tulare County Sheriff’s Sergeants Steve Sanchez and Frank Zaragoza, and investigator Jerry Hunziger of the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations.

Lewis Griswold: 559-441-6104, @fb_LewGriswold