*CRIMINAL CASE UPDATE*

MAN FACING 109 YEARS TO LIFE AT SENTENCING

INDIO - Ezequiel Bojorquez Espinoza, 30, is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, July 20, 2009, for the July 2001 murder of Jamie Soto and the attempted murder of Israel Moreno.

On May 13, 2009, a Riverside County jury convicted Espinoza of murder and attempted murder with special allegations for the use of a firearm during the commission of the crimes.

In July 2001, Espinoza was drinking with three of his neighbors at the Oasis Mobile Home Park in Thermal. Espinoza became upset when two of the neighbors began breaking beer bottles outside of his aunt's mobile home. The three neighbors left the home at Espinoza's request and began driving around the mobile home park while drinking more beer.

Later in the evening, a disagreement between the men escalated when Espinoza told Moreno that he would shoot and kill him if only he had a gun. The victim called Espinoza's bluff and retrieved a weapon for Espinoza. However, Espinoza was not bluffing. Espinoza opened fire on the men hitting Moreno and then turned the gun on Soto. As Soto attempted to flee the scene on foot, Espinoza opened fire on him. A shot pierced Soto's lung and another pierced his throat as he fell to the ground. Soto laid there bleeding and gasping for air while Espinoza walked around the car and delivered one finishing shot to his head.

Soto and Moreno were rushed to the hospital. Soto lost his life but Moreno recovered from his wounds. Espinoza fled to Mexico and evaded justice for seven years before he was apprehended in Mexico and returned to Riverside County in August 2008.

The case, INF037945, was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Christopher Ross. Sentencing is scheduled for Monday, July 20, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. in Department 2J of the Larson Justice Center. Espinoza faces a maximum of 109 years to life in state prison.