VENTURA, California – Jury selection has begun in the trial of Erick Estrada, a 35-year-old from Ventura, who is accused of a decade-old murder case involving the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Gabriel Gutierrez. The shooting took place near the Ventura County Fairgrounds in June 2013. Estrada, who has pleaded not guilty to murder and two counts of attempted murder, is also facing charges related to a separate shooting in October of that year. Timothy Scott Adams, another defendant connected to the shooting, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 2018 and is currently serving a prison sentence.
Gutierrez’s body was discovered on the bike path behind the fairgrounds, marking the violent end to a verbal altercation that began inside the fairgrounds. The alleged confrontation resulted in the fatal shooting that took Gutierrez’s life. In addition to the murder charge, Estrada is being accused of two counts of attempted murder related to the separate shooting incident. Estrada has denied 60 special allegations, as well as a special circumstance allegation of murder by lying in wait.
The trial proceedings began on Wednesday, with two panels of prospective jurors being summoned to the courtroom. The jurors were given questionnaires to fill out and were instructed to return on Monday for the continuation of the jury selection process. The process will resume on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Estrada remains in custody at the Ventura County Jail, with bail set at $3.5 million.
In the previous court proceedings, Adams, who was 17 years old at the time of the fatal shooting, was charged as an adult. He eventually pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to prison in 2018.
The trial of Erick Estrada offers an opportunity for justice to be served in a decade-old murder case. As the jury selection begins in Ventura, the evidence will be presented and scrutinized to determine Estrada’s involvement in the fatal shooting of Gabriel Gutierrez. The accused has vehemently denied the charges against him, leaving it up to the court to come to a verdict based on the presented evidence.
Throughout the trial, the court will examine witness statements, forensic evidence, and any other relevant information to establish the guilt or innocence of Erick Estrada. Ensuring a fair trial and holding individuals accountable for their actions is of paramount importance in our criminal justice system.