Kingsburg killer sentenced to prison as victim’s family demands answers
“You took my son. You took my son!” a mother said in a Fresno County courtroom Thursday.
It was one of many tense moments when she looked her son’s killer in the eyes.
“I hope you rot in prison!” she said.
Luis Rodriguez stood a few meters away. He was convicted of manslaughter after pleading no contest to the charge.
Prosecutors say he killed Alvaro Hernandez Jr., 25, in Kingsburg last July, stabbing him to death.
Hernández’s family today demanded answers.
“What did I do to you to make you kill him?” said his grandmother. “I opened the doors to my house. Why did you do that?”
Hernández was a father, described by his family as a hardworking and dedicated man.
Rodriguez will now spend 12 years in state prison for Hernandez’s death.
However, many details remain under seal since Rodriguez entered a plea before a trial.
“I would just like to apologize to everyone present in court, especially to Mr. Alvaro’s family,” he said in court. “I didn’t want anything to happen like this. God knows I’m not a bad person.”
“You didn’t mean to stab him?” » asked Judge James Kelley.
“I didn’t want to go that far,” Rodriguez said.
He said he tried to deescalate the situation, with his defense lawyer saying the victim was onto something.
“Maybe he reacted too early,” admitted the lawyer.
The reality of Hernández’s death still pains the victim’s family.
“No number of years will ever be the right punishment for taking my husband’s life,” Hernandez’s partner said.
For updates, follow Gabe Ferris on Facebook, X and Instagram.
