HAMILTON, Ohio — A jury found Antonio Riano, a 63-year-old Mexican national, guilty of murder on Friday for the 2004 shooting death of Benjamin Becarra. The jury’s decision came less than two hours after deliberations began.
Riano, who has been indicted since December 2004, is facing a sentence ranging from 18 years to life in prison, which will include an additional three years for a firearm specification. Sentencing is scheduled for July 14.
During closing arguments, the defense sought to have the jury consider a verdict of voluntary manslaughter. However, Butler County Judge Michael Oster determined that the evidence was insufficient to support such a charge. The defense objected to this decision, maintaining that it limited the jury’s options.
Assistant Prosecutor Brad Burress described the killing to the jury, stating that Becarra was “executed” shortly after Riano purchased the ammunition used in the crime. Witness testimony indicated that less than a minute before the shooting, Becarra expressed fear for his life, reportedly saying, “he’s got a gun, he’s going to kill me.”
Burress emphasized the seriousness of the act, describing it as a “cold-blooded” murder. In her defense, attorney Kara Blackney acknowledged that Riano did shoot Becarra but contended that he was acting in self-defense due to ongoing harassment from the victim.
Blackney argued that Riano was not intending to provoke a fight, claiming he had reached a breaking point after being terrorized by Becarra and his associates. Assistant Prosecutor Michael Hon countered this narrative by asserting that Riano was seeking “vigilante justice,” highlighting the fear that those around him exhibited, often referring to him by the nickname “El Diablo.”
The incident occurred on December 19, 2004, when Riano shot Becarra in the head with a .38 Smith & Wesson handgun following an argument outside the Round House Bar. The defense claimed that Becarra, who had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit at the time of the shooting and tested positive for cocaine, was a threat to Riano.
Prosecutors presented a sequence of events showing that Riano had initially fired a shot into the ground and attempted to walk away from the confrontation. However, after an exchange of words with Becarra, Riano returned and shot him in the face.
After the shooting, Riano fled to Mexico via New Jersey. He left his family behind and was later found working as a police officer in his hometown. Extradition to the United States was facilitated by the U.S. Marshals Office, and he was returned on August 1.
This verdict marks a significant development in a case that has lingered in the legal system for nearly two decades, providing a closure of sorts for the victim’s family.
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