LOS ANGELES, CA - An East Los Angeles man was sentenced to 150 years to life in prison for fatally shooting two men and a woman in his neighborhood over a four-year period.
Anthony Velasquez, 35, was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder after a Los Angeles jury deliberated for nearly six hours, ABC7 reported. Prosecutors said that the killing spree was sparked by Velasquez's belief that the victims had disrespected him.
Jurors also found true allegations that the defendant personally used a firearm in the February 11, 2024, killing of Jesse Avalos; the July 6, 2015, killing of Eduardo Robles; and the April 22, 2018, killing of Amanda Nicole Lopez.
Velasquez was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Ronald Coen. During the sentencing, members of the victims' families spoke out. "There is not one day that I don't think about my dad," said Emily Avalos. She and other family members of the victims confronted Velasquez.
"I won't ever have my dad and daughter dance. I won't have my dad to walk me down the aisle," Avalos added. According to prosecutors, the victims were targeted because Velasquez felt in one way or another that they had disrespected him. While in court, he stared straight ahead and showed zero emotion during the victim impact statements.
"You Anthony are and always will be nothing more than a certified homicidal serial killer who has no heart and no conscience," said Rozelle Lopez, the mother of Amanda Lopez. The judge sentenced him to 150 years to life.
"I think he is nothing more, or I should say nothing less than a serial killer and he will be punished as such," said Coen. Defense attorney Leslie Ann Boyce said that she plans to appeal the sentence that was given.
"I just want to clarify that Mr. Velazquez maintained his innocence throughout the investigation, throughout trial and we have filed our notice of appeal today," said Boyce. Emily Avalos said the long sentence made her happy but it was emotionally difficult for her.
"I feel guilty for feeling happy but now I know he won't hurt anyone anymore," she said. Other family members said there will never be closure but they felt on Friday at least there was justice.
Despite the last killing in 2018, it took another three years before investigators were able to publicly announce that the three murders were related, according to Law & Crime. The first killing happened in 2014 near the intersection of Telegraph Road and Arizona Avenue in East Los Angeles.
Avalos, 34, received a phone call shortly before 11:00 p.m. on February 10, 2014, about someone who needed to jumpstart his vehicle, which he dd about 15 minutes later. A few hours passed before Avalos was found dead in his SUV in the area.
Robles, 38, was killed in 2015. He got into a fight with a man who would later be identified as Velasquez during a party at a home in the 4300 block of Eagle Street in East Los Angeles. After the fight, the suspect hopped a fence, walked to Robles' car, and punctured his four tires.
Five minutes later, Velasquez walked up to Robles and shot him several times in the chest. Prosecutors said it was the same gun used to kill Avalos.
Lopez, 27, died in 2018. She was living in a homeless encampment near the East Los Angeles Courthouse. Velasquez got out of a car, walked up to Lopez's tent, and fired inside as she slept, striking her in her torso and killing her. All three of the killings occurred within roughly two miles of each other and had similar suspect descriptions.
Authorities arrested Velasquez and his father, Manuel Velasquez. Prosecutors said the elder Velasquez helped his son kill Robles and helped get rid of evidence. Investigators believe that the father was there for all three killings and served as the getaway driver for at least Lopez's murder.
The father pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and accessory after the fact in February and was sentenced to over 11 years in prison.
Anthony Velasquez, 35, was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder after a Los Angeles jury deliberated for nearly six hours, ABC7 reported. Prosecutors said that the killing spree was sparked by Velasquez's belief that the victims had disrespected him.
Jurors also found true allegations that the defendant personally used a firearm in the February 11, 2024, killing of Jesse Avalos; the July 6, 2015, killing of Eduardo Robles; and the April 22, 2018, killing of Amanda Nicole Lopez.
Velasquez was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Ronald Coen. During the sentencing, members of the victims' families spoke out. "There is not one day that I don't think about my dad," said Emily Avalos. She and other family members of the victims confronted Velasquez.
"I won't ever have my dad and daughter dance. I won't have my dad to walk me down the aisle," Avalos added. According to prosecutors, the victims were targeted because Velasquez felt in one way or another that they had disrespected him. While in court, he stared straight ahead and showed zero emotion during the victim impact statements.
"You Anthony are and always will be nothing more than a certified homicidal serial killer who has no heart and no conscience," said Rozelle Lopez, the mother of Amanda Lopez. The judge sentenced him to 150 years to life.
"I think he is nothing more, or I should say nothing less than a serial killer and he will be punished as such," said Coen. Defense attorney Leslie Ann Boyce said that she plans to appeal the sentence that was given.
"I just want to clarify that Mr. Velazquez maintained his innocence throughout the investigation, throughout trial and we have filed our notice of appeal today," said Boyce. Emily Avalos said the long sentence made her happy but it was emotionally difficult for her.
"I feel guilty for feeling happy but now I know he won't hurt anyone anymore," she said. Other family members said there will never be closure but they felt on Friday at least there was justice.
Despite the last killing in 2018, it took another three years before investigators were able to publicly announce that the three murders were related, according to Law & Crime. The first killing happened in 2014 near the intersection of Telegraph Road and Arizona Avenue in East Los Angeles.
Avalos, 34, received a phone call shortly before 11:00 p.m. on February 10, 2014, about someone who needed to jumpstart his vehicle, which he dd about 15 minutes later. A few hours passed before Avalos was found dead in his SUV in the area.
Robles, 38, was killed in 2015. He got into a fight with a man who would later be identified as Velasquez during a party at a home in the 4300 block of Eagle Street in East Los Angeles. After the fight, the suspect hopped a fence, walked to Robles' car, and punctured his four tires.
Five minutes later, Velasquez walked up to Robles and shot him several times in the chest. Prosecutors said it was the same gun used to kill Avalos.
Lopez, 27, died in 2018. She was living in a homeless encampment near the East Los Angeles Courthouse. Velasquez got out of a car, walked up to Lopez's tent, and fired inside as she slept, striking her in her torso and killing her. All three of the killings occurred within roughly two miles of each other and had similar suspect descriptions.
Authorities arrested Velasquez and his father, Manuel Velasquez. Prosecutors said the elder Velasquez helped his son kill Robles and helped get rid of evidence. Investigators believe that the father was there for all three killings and served as the getaway driver for at least Lopez's murder.
The father pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and accessory after the fact in February and was sentenced to over 11 years in prison.
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Comments
2025-08-30T22:32-0400 | Comment by: James
So what do you have to do to get the DEATH PENALTY in Californication now?! Oh I know, insult Nancy Newsome!