Ontario Man, 20, Convicted Of Second-Degree Murder

SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA.com) — An Ontario man was recently convicted of second-degree murder for shooting a 19-year-old man during a dispute.

According to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office, Julio Avila, 20, was also convicted by jurors for the personal and intentional discharge of a firearm.

On July 7, 2013, Jefrey Camacho, 19, and Bryan Espinoza, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, discovered that Camacho's car windows had been smashed in.

They went to confront Avila and Armando Lara Jr., 19, of Ontario at a home around 2:00 a.m., suspecting they had committed the crime.

Officials explained Camacho and Espinoza knew Avila and Lara from attending Chaffey High School.

They belonged to rival "tagging crews," which had been reportedly feuding — from simple vandalism and fist fights, to stabbings and pulling guns on each other — for over a year, officers explained.

According to police, Espinoza carried a baseball bat, with the intention of fighting Avila and Lara alone.

In response to seeing the bat, Avila pulled out a handgun and aimed at Camacho and Espinoza, who ran back to their car and got inside.

Police said Lara screamed, "Let them have it!", and Avila fired one shot into the car, which stuck Camacho in the back of the head.

He was rushed to a hospital, but was pronounced dead about two hours later, authorities explained.

On Dec. 2, 2013, the jury charged Avila with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm, after deliberating for six days.

According to the district attorney's office, Lara pleaded guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter, and was sentenced to 13 years in state prison on May 8.

Espinoza was convicted in connection with driving the defendants away from the scene. He was sentenced to two years in county prison on Aug. 21, 2013.

Avila is expected to appear in court on Jan. 30, 2015 for his sentencing arraignment in Rancho Cucamonga.

He faces 40 years to life in prison, prosecutors explained.