DA: Man sentenced in 2022 gas station homicide
TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for murder after a confrontation in a Visalia gas station in 2022, the Tulare County District’s Attorney Office said on Monday.
On Aug. 7, 2022, at about 1:30 a.m., the DA says Francisco Rodriguez and others got into a confrontation with another group inside a gas station in the area of Lovers Lane in Visalia. A fight ensued, which eventually spilled out into the parking lot.
As one group ran to their car, officials say Rodriguez, who was in possession of a handgun, fired six rounds at the group, killing a man attempting to leave in the car. The entirety of the incident was caught on surveillance video.
Soon after, Rodriguez fled to Mexico. The DA says he was apprehended at the border in June 2023.
In a verdict handed down on April 18, the District’s Attorney Office says Rodriguez was convicted of second-degree murder with the special allegation of personal and intentional discharge of a firearm, causing death.
DA: Man found guilty after 2022 homicide at Visalia gas station
According to current California laws, Rodriguez must serve 25 years, not including credits determined by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) before being considered for parole.
