PICO RIVERA >> Two Pico Rivera teens could face life in prison at their sentencing later this month after being convicted of murder and other charges for fatally stabbing and strangling one of the teen’s father during a home-invasion robbery nearly two years ago, authorities said Friday.
A Norwalk jury convicted Sergio Anthony Gutierrez, 19, and friend Angel Emilio Estrello, 17, of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of home-invasion robbery each in connection with the Sept. 20, 2014, slaying of 50-year-old Sergio Gutierrez at his home, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokesman Greg Risling said. Emilio was additionally convicted of burglary.
“Gutierrez and Estrello were found guilty all counts and the special circumstance found to be true,” Risling said.
Prosecutors alleged that the murder was committed during the course of a robbery, Risling said. But because both killers were juveniles at the time of the killing — Gutierrez was 17 and Estrello was 15 — they cannot receive the death penalty under California Law.
Gutierrez and Estrello each face a maximum sentence of life behind bars when they return to the Norwalk branch of Los Angeles County Superior court for sentencing on Sept. 19 and Sept. 23, respectively.
In addition to stealing money, Sergio Anthony Gutierrez took part in the attack and robbery of his father because he was angry with his father for “disrespecting” him, Risling said.
“It was not just one argument, but a history of conduct that he felt disrespected by,” he said. “Such as: the decedent (removed) the door of his bedroom (and) made him sleep outside if he got home late.”
The two teens were tried in one trial, but by two separate juries.
A third defendant in the case, 20-year-old Jesus Rafael Adame, declared in July that he is mentally incompetent to stand trial, according to Risling. A mental competency hearing is scheduled for Sept. 28.
Prosecutors have elected not to seek capital punishment in Adame’s case, Risling said.
All three suspects were friends who attended El Rancho High School together.
Deputies, and ultimately homicide detectives, responded to the Gutierrez family’s home in a gated community in the 3700 block of Oaklawn Lane about 1:30 a.m. on Sept. 20.
Video: Homicide detectives discusses fatal Pico Rivera home-invasion robbery
They discovered the elder Sergio Gutierrez suffering from stab wounds to his torso, officials said at the time. He was rushed to Beverly Hospital in Montebello where he succumbed to his injuries.
An autopsy later determined the victim died from sharp force trauma and neck compression, and the death was ruled a homicide, said Ed Winter, Assistant Chief of Operations at the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.
The victim’s son wielded the knife in the attack, Risling said.
“However, the stab wounds were superficial and were not the cause of death,” he said. “The stranglehold employed by defendant Angel Estrello was the main cause of death.”
Cash, credit cards and the family’s 2000 Infiniti sedan were missing from the home.
Lt. Holly Francisco of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Homicide Bureau initially stopped short of labeling the younger Gutierrez a suspect in the killing, but pointed out that he was believed to have been present during the deadly home-invasion robbery, and could not be found in the hours following the killing.
Deputies arrested Gutierrez and Adame in connection with slaying the following day, and Estrello turned himself in to authorities the same afternoon.