On January 19, 2010, the Honorable Judge Joseph Kalashian sentenced 40-year-old Velia Juarez of Visalia to 25 years to life in State Prison for her part in the murder of 61-year-old Jose Torres Angulo, 61, of Visalia. A jury convicted Velia Juarez on October 27, 2009 of First Degree Felony Murder. The crime took place on November 16, 2008.

Present in court during the sentencing were the children of Jose Torres Angulo, who provided the court with impact statements detailing their loss, sadness, and plea for justice.

On November 16, 2008, in the city of Visalia, defendant Juarez told Visalia Police detectives that she found the victim lying on the ground in her backyard with an injury to his head. He was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead as a result of a blunt force trauma to the head. The defendant was friends with the victim, but denied knowing what led to his death.
Defendant Juarez was eventually confronted by detectives with evidence that was developed through the subsequent investigation. At that time, she admitted that on numerous prior occasions, she and others developed a plan to “rough up” and rob the victim. The defendant admitted that the actual perpetrator gave her instructions to follow on the day in question. She did, in fact, follow those instructions and set the victim up, which ultimately led to the victim being attacked and killed during an apparent robbery.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Onu Omordia and investigated by Detective Curtis Brown of Visalia Police Department and Investigator Domingo Flores of the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.

Contact Person: Assistant District Attorney, Shani Jenkins, (559) 733-6411.