Fresno barber, once acquitted of murder, convicted of killing co-worker by new jury
Luis Daniel Lopez, a Fresno barber who was acquitted in February of first-degree murder for the May 2021 death of Alex Solorio, 23, was not as fortunate Wednesday as a new jury found him guilty of second-degree murder.
Lopez, 31, could receive a maximum of 16-years-to-life for the stabbing death of Solorio, his co-worker.
Both men were hair cutters at Colima’s Fade Shop, in the 6700 block of North Blackstone Avenue, near Herndon Avenue. Police said the two men were drinking in the shop after hours when they got into an argument that turned deadly.
Evidence presented at the recent trial indicated Lopez was badly beaten during the fight and Solorio was stabbed 35 times with a pocket knife.
Lopez’s attorney Antonio Alvarez said his client did not intend to kill Solorio and was trying to protect himself. The jury during the first trial believed that scenario and found Lopez not guilty of first degree murder, but they couldn’t agree on the lesser charge of second-degree murder.
Prosecutor Tim Galstan vowed to continue seeking justice for the Solorio family.
The jury during the second trial began deliberating about 11 a.m. Tuesday and returned its verdict about the same time on Wednesday.
Galstan said he was pleased with the outcome of the verdict. “I am looking forward to giving the victim’s family a call right now,” he said after the trial was over.
Lopez will be sentenced on Aug. 31 in Dept. 62.
This story was originally published August 3, 2022 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Fresno barber, once acquitted of murder, convicted of killing co-worker by new jury."
