Two Woodland men has been sentenced to life in prison for the death of man who literally gave the shirt off his back to help a bleeding stranger.
According to evidence, on August 30, 2016 Ronald Antonio was walking out of the Casa Del Sol mobile home park with a friend when they saw a woman, bleeding from a cut on her arm.
Antonio took off his shirt to help the complete stranger stop the bleeding.
At the same time, gang members Justin Gonzalez, 23, and Alexis Velazquez, 19, were roaming the area accosting people they believed to be part of a rival gang.
Moments after running into the injured woman, the two gang members came around the corner armed with knives.
The men accused Antonio of being part of a rival gang and began chasing him, eventually beating and stabbing him to death outside of his home.
A jury found Velazquaz guilty of first degree murder, and Gonzalez of second degree murder with gang enhancements on December 13, 2017. Velazquaz was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for his role in the murder.
Gonzalez had previously been involved with a shooting injuring at least one person and a separate gang attack of two people outside of a 7-Eleven in Woodland in 2013. He was sentenced to 90 years to life in prison Friday.
“An innocent man who literally took the shirt off his own back to help a complete stranger was chased down and viciously murdered by two violent gang members who were roaming the streets," said Deputy District Attorney Michael Vroman. "It is both terrifying and tragic that this senseless crime occurred in our community and forever altered the lives of so many. While the convictions and sentences in this case will never bring true solace to the victim’s family, justice has been served.”
