CAGenWeb Monterey County Genealogy

[Mary S Taylor]

Monterey Peninsula Herald, CA June 12, 1993
Two receive sentences in Villegas murder
By Robert Jones / Herald Staff Writer
Two associates of a Salinas prostitute who robbed two of her customers and killed a third have been sentenced to state prison. Luis Guerrero, 19, was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years to life in prison for second-degree murder, and a consecutive term of four years for using a firearm. Robert Delgado, 20, was sentenced yesterday to 15 years to life for second-degree murder, and a consecutive term of six years for robbery and use of a knife. Superior Court Judge John Phillips sentenced both men, and will sentence Trina McDonald, 25, on Wednesday. She will be sentenced to seven years, eight months, a term agreed to when she pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery. On Nov. 5, Francisco Villegas, 20, was killed after he picked up McDonald on Soledad Street, according to court records. After quarreling over $100 that Villegas give her for sex, she contacted Delgado and Guerreo. Guerrero shot Villegas and Delgado stabbed him. Later McDonald came to the homicide scene and took the victim’s wallet, according to the court file. Less than a week later, on Nov. 11, two Morgan Hill men picked up McDonald and went with her to her motel room. Delgado, who was allegedly McDonald’s pimp, and two other men showed up at the motel room and beat and robbed the two customers. One man was put on the toilet and hog-tied in such a way that if he straightened his legs, he would have choked, according to court testimony. He was beaten so severely he was comatose for five days, and is still partially paralyzed. The defendants “ruined my life. I’ve worked for 21 years and can’t work anymore,” he told Deputy Probation Officer Joseph Whiteford. A second man convicted in the motel beating, Willie Portillo, was sentenced toa 15-year prison term in March. Guerrero’s attorney, Eugene Martinez, asked Phillps to ake into account his client’s exemplary past. Guerrero comes from a hardworking family and has worked hard himself in Salinas restaurants and packing plants, according to the probation report. He is peaceful, with no history of violence, Martinez said. But shortly after he moved out of his parents’ home, he “got hooked up with people who made a living off prostitution, drugs and robbery.” When Whiteford asked him why he went along with Delgado and shot Villegas, Guerrero answered: “I don’t know why I shot him. I’ve never done anything like that in my life. I had everything going for me. I had a job and a girlfriend.” Breaking into tears, Guerrero said he may have done it for not other reason that to impress his friends. Phillips said he took no pleasure in sending Guerrero to prison. “You come from a decent, hardworking family that tried hard to bring up up the right way,” the judge said. Phillps agreed with Deputy District Attorney Berkely Brannon that the murder was senseless, and said it was deplorable that ayoung man with potential like Guerrero had wasted it. Frank Dice represented Del gado, and James Michael is representing MccDonald.
Copyright (c) 2012 The Monterey County Herald