Former Gang Member Convicted of Gang-Related First-Degree Murder in Santa Cruz County
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – A former Watsonville man was found guilty of gang-related first-degree murder by a Santa Cruz County jury this week after an extensive trial and nearly three days of deliberation. The 29-year-old, Jason Cortez, was convicted for killing his Santa Cruz County Jail cellmate, German Carrillo, on October 13, 2022. Cortez’s conviction follows the separate trial and guilty verdict of another cellmate, Mario Lozano, who was sentenced to multiple life sentences for Carrillo’s murder, as well as an unrelated 2004 slaying in Watsonville. During the trial, Cortez took the stand in his … Read more