The Cases Behind California's Death Sentence Commutations
Behind every death sentence is a victim, a family, and a life forever changed. Explore the cases, remember the lives lost, and learn about the individuals whose death sentences California is moving to commute. This list of perpetrators and the stories behind their crimes offers a closer look at the cases and the families forever impacted.
- Aguilar, Jeffrey Ventura
- Aguirre, Isauro Los Angeles
- Aldana, Roman Gabriel Riverside
- Avila, Alejandro Orange
- Avila, Joseph Riverside
- Baker, Paul Los Angeles
- Bankston, Anthony Los Angeles
- Barrett, Joseph Imperial
- Bennett, Eric Orange
- Bivert, Kenneth Monterey
- Blacksher, Erven Alameda
- Boyde, Linwood Riverside
- Bramit, Michael Riverside
- Brasure, Spencer Ventura
- Brown, John Alameda
- Buenrostro, Dora Riverside
- Buettner, Ross Contra Costa
- Burns, Lawrence Contra Costa
- Butler, Raymond Los Angeles
- Cano, Juaquin Orange
- Capistrano, John Los Angeles
- Carasi, Paul Los Angeles
- Carey, Deandre Solano
- Caro, Fernando Santa Clara
- Carrasco, Robert Kern
- Case, Charles Siskiyou
- Castaneda, Gabriel Riverside
- Catlin, Steven Kern
- Cervantes, Daniel Riverside
- Chavez, Juan Los Angeles
- Chavez, Mario Sacramento
- Cinco, Arthur San Diego
- Cleland, Howard San Bernardino
- Coley, Douglas San Joaquin
- Collins, Scott Placer
- Cook, Joseph San Diego
- Copley, Amilcar Los Angeles
- Cowan, Robert Kern
- Cox, Michael Alameda
- Cruz, Gerald Stanislaus
- Cunningham, John Alameda
- D’Arcy, John San Bernardino
- DeBose, Donald Los Angeles
- Deere, Ronald Riverside
- Delgado, Anthony Fresno
- Dement, Ronald Trinidad/San Diego
- Demetrulias, Gregory Riverside
- Diaz, Joel Riverside
- Donelson, Richard Los Angeles
- Doolin, Keith Zon Fresno
- Duenez, Edgardo San Joaquin
- Duff, Dewey San Bernardino
- Dykes, Ernest Alameda
- Edwards, Robert Sacramento
- Enraca, Jayson Solano
- Ervin, Curtis Alameda
- Escamilla, Braulio Fresno
- Espinoza, Antonio Los Angeles
- Eubanks, Susan San Diego
- Fairbank, Robert San Mateo
- Fartati, Anthony Los Angeles
- Fayed, James Los Angeles
- Fierro, David Riverside
- Friend, Jack Alameda
- Garton, Todd Shasta
- Gay, Kenneth Los Angeles
- Ghent, David Santa Clara
- Gomez, Jesse Michael San Diego
- Gonzales, Ivan Los Angeles
- Gordon, Patrick Riverside
- Green, Aaron Los Angeles
- Guerrero, Jose Los Angeles
- Guerra, Alfonso Los Angeles
- Gullatt, Lloyd Los Angeles
- Hajek, Stephen Santa Clara
- Hardy, James Los Angeles
- Harris, Lane Los Angeles
- Harris, Maurice Alameda
- Hartsch, John San Bernardino
- Haskett, Randy Los Angeles
- Hawthorne, Carlos Los Angeles
- Henriquez, Christopher Contra Costa
- Hernandez, George Los Angeles
- Hill, Michael Alameda
- Hines, Gary Sacramento
- Hinton, Eric Contra Costa
- Holloway, Duane Sacramento
- Holmes, Karl Los Angeles
- Hovey, Richard Alameda
- Howard, Albert Tulare
- Hoyos, Jaime San Diego
- Hrabe, Brandon San Diego
- Huggins, Michael Alameda
- Jacobs, Kevin Los Angeles
- Johnsen, Brian Alameda
- Johnson, Cedric Los Angeles
- Johnson, Michael Ventura
- Jones, Bryan San Diego
- Jurado, Robert San Diego
- Kelly, Douglas Santa Cruz
- Kipp, Martin Orange
- Kopatz, Michelle Riverside
- Leach, Michael Fresno
- Lewis, Albert Los Angeles
- Lewis, Raymond Alameda
- Linton, John Los Angeles
- Livingston, Waymon Los Angeles
- Loomis, Bruce San Bernardino
- Lopez, Michael Kings
- Lujan, Anthony Los Angeles
- Maciel, Luis Los Angeles
- Mai, Hung Thieu Orange
- Manriquez, Hector Los Angeles
- Marks, Delaney Alameda
- Martinez, Michael Santa Clara
- Martinez, Thomas Siskiyou
- Masters, Jarvis Marin
- Mattson, Michael Sacramento
- McCurdy, Kevin Alameda
- McDermott, Maureen Los Angeles
- McKinnon, Crandell San Diego
- Medina, Teofilo Orange
- Mendoza, Huber Los Angeles
- Mendoza, Ronald Los Angeles
- Mickel, Andrew Placer
- Mills, Jeffrey Sacramento
- Miracle, Joshua Santa Barbara
- Mitcham, Stephan Alameda
- Montiel, Richard Orange
- Mora, Joseph Los Angeles
- Morales, Alfonso Ventura
- Murtishaw, David Kern
- Nava, Ronald Los Angeles
- Nelson, Bernard Los Angeles
- Panah, Hooman Los Angeles
- Penunuri, Richard Los Angeles
- Peterson, Scott Stanislaus
- Poore, Christopher Riverside
- Potts, Tomas Sonoma
- Prieto, Alfredo Orange
- Rangel, Pedro Contra Costa
- Reyes, Martel Alameda
- Riggs, Michael Riverside
- Rodriguez, Angelina Los Angeles
- Rogers, David Kern
- Rubio, Gilbert Alameda
- Ruiz, Albert Ventura
- Sadecom, Ricky Sacramento
- Samayoa, Richard San Diego
- Sanchez, Gilbert Ventura
- Sattiewhite, Christopher Ventura
- Schultz, Michael San Diego
- Scott, James Sacramento
- Sexton, Michael Sacramento
- Simon, Richard Contra Costa
- Smith, Charles Tulare
- Smith, Donald Contra Costa
- Smithey, George San Bernardino
- Solomon, Morris Sacramento
- Spencer, Christopher Santa Clara
- Stanley, Darren Alameda
- Stayner, Cary Mariposa
- Stitely, Richard Los Angeles
- Streeter, Deandre Alameda
- Sully, Anthony San Mateo
- Tafoya, Ignacio Los Angeles
- Tate, Gregory Alameda
- Taylor, Robert Riverside
- Thompkins, Reginal Los Angeles
- Thompson, James Riverside
- Trinh, Dung Dinh Orange
- Valdez, Alfredo Los Angeles
- Vargas, Eduardo Riverside
- Verdugo, Nathan Orange
- Vieira, Richard Stanislaus
- Vines, Sean Sacramento
- Waidla, Tauno Los Angeles
- Waldon, Billy San Diego
- Weaver, Ward Bakersfield/Kern
- Wesson, Marcus Fresno
- Williams, George Los Angeles
- Williams, Jack Contra Costa
- Zaragoza, Louis Riverside
Isauro Aguirre — Los Angeles County
Victim: Gabriel Fernandez, age 8
In 2013, Isauro Aguirre tortured and murdered his girlfriend's eight-year-old son, Gabriel Fernandez, after months of severe abuse. Gabriel suffered a fractured skull, 12 broken ribs, burns, and numerous other injuries. Prosecutors presented evidence that Aguirre repeatedly beat the child and subjected him to horrific abuse, including forcing him to eat cat feces and sleep bound and gagged inside a cabinet. Aguirre was convicted of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of intentional murder by torture and sentenced to death in 2018.
Photo: Univision archival photograph.
Cary Stayner — Mariposa County
Victims: Carole Sund, Juli Sund, Silvina Pelosso, and Joie Armstrong
In 1999, Cary Stayner murdered three women staying at a Yosemite-area motel: Carole Sund, her 15-year-old daughter Juli, and their 16-year-old family friend Silvina Pelosso. Stayner gained entry to their room by pretending to be maintenance personnel, then bound the victims, sexually assaulted Juli over several hours, and ultimately murdered all three. Approximately five months later, he kidnapped and murdered 26-year-old Joie Armstrong, decapitating her. Stayner confessed to the crimes and was sentenced to death for the three motel murders.
Photo: CBS news archival photograph.
Marcus Wesson — Fresno County
Victims: Nine of his children and grandchildren
In March 2004, Marcus Wesson murdered nine members of his own family, including seven of his children and two grandchildren. Wesson had established a controlling household in which he claimed to be Jesus and fathered children through incestuous relationships with his daughters and nieces. The murders followed a child custody dispute, and the victims included several very young children, including three one-year-olds. He was also convicted of numerous sexual offenses involving family members and sentenced to death.
Photo: SFGate archival photograph.
Susan Eubanks — San Diego County
Victims: Brandon, 14; Austin, 7; Brigham, 6; Matthew, 4
In October 1997, Susan Eubanks shot and killed all four of her young sons at their San Marcos home. Her oldest son reportedly called a friend's mother for help shortly before he was killed. Eubanks also shot herself but survived, and investigators discovered notes she had left behind following the killings. A jury convicted her of four counts of first-degree murder with multiple-murder special circumstances and sentenced her to death.
Photo: CBS news archival photograph.
Alejandro Avila — Orange County
Victim: Samantha Runnion, age 5
In July 2002, Alejandro Avila abducted five-year-old Samantha Runnion while she was playing outside with a friend in Stanton, California. Avila sexually assaulted and murdered Samantha after taking her from the condominium complex. The crime sparked widespread outrage and a massive search for the missing child. Avila was convicted of kidnapping, sexual offenses against a child, and murder with special circumstances, and his death sentence was affirmed by the California Supreme Court in 2014.
Photo: LA Times archival photograph.
Hooman Panah — Los Angeles County
Victim: Nicole Parker, age 8
In November 1993, Hooman Panah murdered eight-year-old Nicole Parker after abducting her from the apartment complex where she was visiting her father. Panah sexually assaulted the child before strangling her and concealing her body inside a suitcase in his bedroom closet. Investigators discovered evidence of the assault and murder during a search of his apartment. He was convicted of first-degree murder with special circumstances involving kidnapping and sexual offenses against a child, and a jury sentenced him to death.
Photo: LA Times archival photograph.
David Murtishaw — Kern County
Victims: James Henderson, Marti Soto, and Ingrid Etayo
In April 1978, David Murtishaw and an accomplice encountered four college students filming a movie in the Mojave Desert. Several hours later, as the students prepared to leave, Murtishaw opened fire with a rifle, killing three of them and seriously injuring the fourth. The victims were young adults who had been working together on the film when they were attacked. Murtishaw was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder, and three separate penalty proceedings ultimately resulted in juries imposing the death penalty.
Photo: LA Times archival photograph.
Kenneth Bivert — Monterey County
Victims: Four murder victims across two separate cases
Kenneth Bivert was involved in three murders in Yolo County when he was just 17 years old, receiving life imprisonment for those crimes. While serving that sentence at Salinas Valley State Prison, he later attacked and murdered fellow inmate Leonard Swartz by slashing his throat with a homemade weapon. Bivert was convicted of Swartz's murder, with the jury also considering his three prior murder convictions and his history of violence in prison. He received a death sentence in 2001, meaning his capital conviction arose from a murder committed while he was already incarcerated for multiple homicides.
Photo: KSBW 8 archival photograph.
What a Sentence Reduction Could Mean for Victims and Public Safety
Changing a death sentence to life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) does not necessarily mean a perpetrator can never be released. California law provides certain legal pathways through which some individuals serving LWOP sentences may seek resentencing or release, depending on their circumstances and eligibility. These pathways can include changes in the law, successful legal challenges, or other forms of post-conviction relief. For victims’ families, the possibility that a sentence could one day be reduced raises profound concerns about whether justice will truly be served and whether public safety will remain protected.
Help us ensure victims’ voices are heard. Learn about the cases, understand what these commutations could mean, and take action to advocate for truth in sentencing and accountability. Contact your elected representatives and urge them to protect victims’ families and uphold the sentences handed down by juries and courts.