(BCN) - A 66-year-old Santa Rosa man sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in connection with the robbery and fatal shooting of two farm workers in 1975 was denied parole Thursday following a hearing in Sacramento.
William Barton is serving a prison sentence resulted from the March 23, 1975, crime. The victims, Sabino Sotelo, 40, and his son, Gregorio Sotelo, 16, were shot by Barton multiple times with a .22 caliber handgun. The Sotelos were farm workers at Martini Ranch in Sonoma County.
They had purchased gas and alcohol for Barton and three associates in exchange for a ride home from where they were near Grand Avenue in Santa Rosa. After the driver stopped the car on Moon Mountain Road at the entrance to the ranch, Barton demanded money from the elder Sotelo. When Sotelo refused, Barton shot Sotelo's son and then shot Sotelo. Barton and his associates then took their wallets and left the scene.
Barton was arrested and charged with the murders, pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and admitted a sentencing enhancement for using a firearm in the commission of the murders.
"This was a senseless and tragic double-murder that ripped a hole in the victims' family," Jill Ravitch, Sonoma County district attorney, said Thursday. "We are pleased that the board agreed with us that the inmate should remain incarcerated in state prison at this time." The board ruled that Barton will not be eligible for parole until 2025.
Copyright © 2022 Bay City News, Inc.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/yPk9HrJ
No comments:
Post a Comment