| For Immediate Release Case # 11NF0950 May 31, 2013 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718Farrah Emami Spokesperson Office: 714-347-8405 Cell: 714-323-4486
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HOMELESS MAN SENTENCED TO 26 YEARS TO LIFE FOR MURDERING FELLOW TRANSIENT BY HITTING HIM WITH A PIECE OF WOOD
SANTA ANA – A homeless man was sentenced today to 26 years to life in state prison for murdering another transient man by hitting him with a piece of wood. Sergio Camacho Gonzalez, 38, was found guilty by a jury Feb. 13, 2013, of one felony count of murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon.
On the evening of Sept. 25, 2010, Gonzalez got into a verbal argument in a Fullerton liquor store with 56-year-old Andrew Petrusiak and accused the victim of stealing his wallet two weeks earlier. At approximately 8:30 p.m., Petrusiak returned to his campsite behind a Fullerton business complex. At 9:13 p.m., Gonzalez entered the victim’s campsite and murdered him by striking the victim in the back of the head with a piece of wood. Video surveillance in the business complex captured Gonzalez entering the site and leaving four minutes later. Petrusiak was never seen alive again.
At approximately 8:00 a.m. on Sept. 27, 2010, Petrusiak’s friend arrived at the victim’s campsite, discovered the victim’s body, and called 911. The Fullerton Police Department (FPD) responded to the scene and investigated this case.
Gonzalez was identified by witnesses to the argument inside the local liquor store as the man seen entering and exiting the campsite on the night of the murder. The defendant was arrested by FPD March 23, 2011.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Steve McGreevy of the Homicide Unit prosecuted this case.
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