A gang member who gunned down a man in Chula Vista in 2002 and shot another man to death three years later was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without parole, plus an additional 65 years to life.
Jose Luis Valdez, 32, was convicted in July of second-degree murder in the December 2002 shooting death of 22-year-old Joseph Medina, and first-degree murder in the October 2005 killing of Daniel Rodriguez in Alpine.
Jurors found true a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders.
Rodriguez was shot in the head and left under a bridge at Interstate 8 and Tavern Road. The victim was discovered on Oct. 13, 2005, and died three days later.
Valdez was also convicted of conspiracy in the Alpine murder, but jurors deadlocked 11-1 in the July 6, 2003, shooting death of Francisco Chaires in National City.
Deputy District Attorney David Grapilon said Valdez was the gunman in all three killings and the prosecution’s main witness, Daniel Mascareno, was the driver in each of the crimes.
Mascareno signed on as a cooperating witness in 2007 and participated in a number of undercover recorded operations with law enforcement targeting Valdez and other defendants, Grapilon said.
Valdez, John Reyna and Rashad Lansing were arrested in September 2013 in connection with the Rodriguez murder. Reyna and Lansing subsequently pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
— City News Service