SANTA ANA, Orange County -- An Orange County Santa Ana man was convicted of murder of someone who took his job after he was fired by his employer at a landscaping company. He was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison on Friday.
Manuel Melgoza, 42, of Santa Ana, pleaded guilty in June of first-degree murder and a sentencing enhancement for using firearm in Nov, 2006 to kill Israel Quiros.
Orange County District Attorney stated that Melgoza got very angry after he got fired by his employer and replaced by Quiros on his position at the landscaping company.
Melgoza was seen by witness waiting outside Quiros's home on the day of the killing and followed him to work.
Quiros noticed that he had been followed and tried to lose him by changing another route at the neigborhood of Garden Grove. But Melgoza still kept following, Quiros pulled over his car and got out.
Melgoza then shot him in the shoulder with a rifle, and then walked up, put the rifle to his head, and killed him.
At his trial, Melgoza argued that he was followed by Quiros and that he tried to defend himself.
