Crime & Safety
Man Gets 127 Years To Life For Santa Cruz Co. Slaying
Albaro Amaral Montalvo Jr. killed a man, then shot two female witnesses last year, prosecutors said.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — A man was sentenced Friday to 127 years to life in prison for shooting two people, killing one, on a rural road in Santa Cruz County last year, prosecutors said.
Albaro Amaral Montalvo Jr. received the sentence for the killing of Kevin Medina Lopez on June 14, 2020.
According to the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office, Montalvo shot the victim in the back of the head and then shot at two female witnesses, striking one in the hand and face. The pair were able to flee, and Montalvo fled in Medina Lopez's vehicle and remained at large for several weeks.
Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Investigators eventually found and arrested Montalvo and charged him with murder, attempted murder, carjacking, intentional discharge of a firearm, and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
A jury found him guilty of all charges and special allegations and a judge sentenced him to the prison term Friday, prosecutors said.
Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"I am grateful that Kevin's murderer has been brought to justice. I hope this outcome brings his family and the surviving victims some closure," Assistant District Attorney Conor McCormick, one of the prosecutors on the case, said in a statement.
Copyright © 2021 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.
