Man sentenced in Baldwin Park triple-murder

POMONA -- A judge ordered a Baldwin Park man to spend the rest of his life behind bars Thursday for a murderous rampage in 2008 in which he killed his mother, a woman next door and her 4-year-old daughter.
Roy Perez, 30, was sentenced in Pomona Superior Court to three consecutive life sentences, as well as another term of 139 years to life in prison, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Stefan Mrakich said.
The prosecutor said Perez had long suffered from mental illness, and that the attack occurred after he became enraged at his mother.
"Throughout his life," Mrakich said, "he had a great deal of irrational anger directed toward his parents -- both his mother and father."
Perez pleaded guilty last month to three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder in connection with the shooting spree, which took place Feb. 25 in the 14500 block of Rockenbach Street in Baldwin Park. He also admitted the special allegation that he personally fired a gun in the crimes.
Perez's mother, 47-year-old Alicia Perez, neighbor Dalmy Mata, 31, and her 4-year-old daughter Briana were killed. Perez wounded Mata's other two children, Kimberly and Edwin, who were 9 and 14 at the time.
Mrakich, who prosecuted the case along with Deputy District Attorney Samer Hathout, said Perez had a long history of mental illness and went on his rampage after a bizarre confrontation with his mother.
"He was claiming that his mother was not his mother," Mrakich said. Perez then retrieved a handgun and opened fire.
After shooting his mother about 16 times, Roy Perez went next door where he attacked the Mata family, Mrakich and sheriff's officials said. It was unclear why the neighbors were targeted.
When officials arrived at the scene, Perez was still clutching a 9mm handgun used in the shooting, Lt. Dan Rosenberg of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
Mrakich said Perez suffered from "severe paranoia," and his history of mental illness dated to his teenage years. He has been held by authorities on 72-hour psychiatric evaluation holds several times.
At Perez's sentencing, Mrakich said, he told the courtroom that he deserved the death penalty, saying that a "bad demon" had taken control of him. He also said that he missed his mother.
Perez pleaded guilty before his trial started, Mrakich said, so it was unclear if an insanity defense would have been attempted. Officials agreed to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the plea agreement. At the time, no official determination had been made on whether the death penalty would be sought against Perez.
"It's just a tragedy for everyone involved," Mrakich said. "For the Perez family and the Mata family, and I hope they all find some peace."