Man, 36, Convicted Of Fatally Shooting Estranged Wife Is Sentenced

COMPTON (CBSLA.com) — A 36-year-old man convicted of fatally shooting his estranged wife in 2008 was sentenced Friday to 54 years to life in state prison.

Footage from inside the Compton courthouse captured Carlos Reyes interrupting the prosecutor, and speaking over the judge at times.

Jurors convicted Reyes in April of first-degree murder, stalking, and second-degree robbery, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors said Reyes shot Veronica Reyes to death outside of her workplace in Carson in Oct. of 2008. The 30-year-old victim has been remembered by friends and family as a loving mother.

Leading up to her murder, authorities said Reyes had stalked and even robbed Veronica, his wife of 9 years.

Prosecutors say she so feared for her life she deliberately parked her car in front of security cameras.

"This man at the end of the table left four children without a mother. Four children that used to call him a father have now had to grow up without a mother and without a father," Marlene Martinez, the deputy District Attorney, said in court.

One of those children wrote a statement, which was read during the hearing. In it, the child said of Reyes: "He is not afraid to murder. To threaten. To abuse and terrorize those of his own flesh and blood."