A person who killed 5 folks and injured a number of others throughout a months-long capturing spree that stretched from the San Fernando Valley to West Hollywood in 2014 was convicted of all fees Wednesday and can spend the remainder of his life in jail, prosecutors stated.
Alexander Hernandez, 42, was discovered responsible of 5 counts of homicide with particular circumstances, eleven counts of tried homicide and a number of other different offenses following a three-week trial, in accordance with Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Michele Hanisee.
Below California regulation, an individual convicted of homicide with particular circumstances can solely be sentenced to demise or life with out the opportunity of parole. Prosecutors initially sought the demise penalty towards Hernandez, however District Atty. George Gascón barred his prosecutors from searching for capital punishment after his election in 2020.
“A verdict in a homicide case is rarely a triumph, it’s only a aid,” Hanisee stated. “A aid that the victims can begin to transfer on with their lives.”
Hernandez was arrested in August 2014 and accused of happening a five-day capturing rampage that left a number of folks lifeless within the San Fernando Valley. On the time, police referred to him as a serial killer.
His assaults truly began months earlier, when Hernandez shot and killed Sergio Sanchez whereas driving on the 210 Freeway close to Sylmar, leaving the person slumped lifeless in his automotive on an off-ramp, court docket information present.
Hernandez didn't know Sanchez, and there was no discernible motive in any of his assaults, in accordance with Hanisee. In a lot of them, he appeared to fireplace at random from his car.
After Sanchez’s killing, Hernandez carried out a string of a number of of shootings wherein folks had been gravely wounded however survived. They included a Could 2014 assault wherein he opened fireplace on a 19-year-old in Northridge who was bringing his girlfriend dwelling after promenade. That sufferer was partially paralyzed, information present.
In August 2014, Hernandez armed himself with a shotgun and dedicated one other seven shootings in a five-day interval, information present. He killed Gilardo Morales, Mariana Franco, Michael Planells and Gloria Tovar, information present. Hernandez additionally shot and killed a number of canine, and pleaded responsible to animal cruelty fees forward of his trial.
Hanisee stated video proof offered at trial confirmed Hernandez “stalking” his victims on multiple event. He adopted Franco’s car for a number of blocks, in accordance with Hanisee, and circled a park in his automotive repeatedly earlier than capturing Planells at shut vary with a shotgun.
“He was looking for folks,” she stated.
All advised, Hernandez killed 5 folks, wounded seven others and shot at 4 extra, together with two 12-year-olds who had been in a automotive with their dad and mom.
Within the years previous to the shootings, Hernandez had been arrested for vandalism, drug possession and weapons offenses, in accordance with court docket information. He was additionally arrested for brandishing a knife at his cousin in June 2014, within the midst of the shootings, however prosecutors declined to cost him.
It isn't clear why prosecutors didn't convey fees in that case. Hernandez had already shot and wounded one other man the identical day he was arrested, Hanisee stated, however police had no details about that capturing on the time.
A number of elements triggered the case to stretch practically eight years. Questions had been raised about Hernandez’s psychological competency at varied factors, and prosecutors’ preliminary pursuit of the demise penalty additionally added additional hurdles, Hanisee stated. Trials had been additionally placed on maintain in L.A. County for 18 months as a result of COVID-19 pandemic
Lots of the victims’ households hung out in court docket prior to now three weeks, and Hanisee stated the eight years between the shootings and the decision have performed little to boring the ache they really feel.
“It’s laborious. It’s terrible once I converse to them. They're nonetheless closely affected. They’re crying. There’s lots of tears concerned,” she stated. “It’s the form of factor that by no means leaves them.”
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