A Monterey County jury this week found a 21-year-old man guilty of first degree murder for killing Jonothan Maciel, 19, of Hollister in 2021, according to authorities.
Skyler Narcecio Barriga, of Salinas, was also convicted of robbery and the use of a gun, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release. Barriga will be sentenced by Monterey County Superior Court Judge Andrew Liu on Oct. 24.
He faces a possible prison sentence of 25 years or more.
On Oct. 5, 2021, Barriga—who was 16 at the time—arranged to meet Maciel for a date, says the press release. Barriga arrived wearing black rubber gloves and a mask, and he brought a gun.
While inside Maciel’s car, Barriga strangled him with a ligature and shot him in the back, authorities said. Maciel died shortly thereafter.
Salinas Police stopped the defendant minutes later driving the victim’s car and wearing Maciel’s stolen backpack, says the press release. When officers tried to arrest Barriga, he ran and reached for his gun.
Officers shot Barriga and took him into custody with the help of a K9, authorities said. He “quickly recovered from his wounds.”
DA Jeannine Pacioni obtained a transfer of the case to adult court “because of the defendant’s dangerousness and unlikelihood of his rehabilitation in the juvenile justice system.”
The case was investigated by the Seaside Police Department.
