UPDATE | A man and woman were sentenced to state prison this week for their role in the 2014 beating death of a 60-year-old man inside the recreational vehicle where he lived in Long Beach, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Anthony Josua Paz, 24, was sentenced today to 15 years to life in state prison for taking part in the beating death of Thomas Taylor and then setting his vehicle on fire three years ago.
Paz’s co-defendant Jazmin Montañez, 37, was sentenced yesterday to 25 years to life in state prison.
Paz was found guilty of second-degree murder by a jury on November 18, 2016. Montañez was found guilty of first-degree murder by the same jury on November 17, 2016.
PREVIOUSLY: Pair Found Guilty in 2014 Beating Death of Man in Long Beach RV
11/18/16 at 4:36PM | A man and a woman were found guilty today of beating a 60-year-old man to death nearly three years ago inside the recreational vehicle where he lived in Long Beach, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Anthony Josua Paz, 24, was found guilty by a jury of one count of second-degree murder, said Deputy District Attorney Rachel Hardiman. The jury also found Jazmin Montañez, 37, guilty of first-degree murder.
On October 22, 2015, three other defendants in the case each pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a deadly weapon with great bodily injury and were sentenced to eight years in state prison. They include Diana Sequen, 23, Jose Zolorza, 21, and David Romero, 31.
Officials said the victim, Thomas Taylor, would allow the five defendants to visit him and do drugs together in his RV, until one day Taylor decided he wanted more privacy and asked them not to come back, according to evidence presented at trial.
On the evening of January 27, 2014, Taylor was beaten to death inside his home and his RV was set on fire with his body inside, according to the prosecutor.
Montañez is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15 and Paz on January 18 in Department S23 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Long Beach Branch. Paz and Montañez face life in state prison.
The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) investigated the case.