Press release: People v. David Soto

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that a jury convicted David Soto of first-degree murder with a firearm. Soto, age 39, shot 15 year old Timothy Rodriguez Antovich once in the back of the head on July 21, 2000.

Tim Antovich had been hanging out with his friends at the 34th Avenue entrance to Fruitridge Community Park during the evening hours of July 21, 2000. Soto lived with his girlfriend in an apartment at that location. Evidence at trial showed that Antovich had been drinking beer, gotten sick, and was lying face-down on the grass around 11 p.m. Two juveniles who lived in the area saw Soto walk up to Antovich and shoot twice. Gunshot residue evidence proved that the gun was 1-4 ft. from Antovich when it was fired.

The evidence showed further that Soto gave the gun to a friend who threw it in the river. Soto fled the scene, staying at different motels on Stockton Blvd. for several nights. He then left Sacramento on the same day that Antovich was declared dead.

Witnesses were initially reluctant to come forward. It was not until mid-October that Sacramento Sheriff's detectives gathered sufficient evidence to obtain an arrest warrant. Soto was arrested at his parents' home in Whittier on October 25. When interviewed by detectives in Sacramento, Soto denied responsibility for the shooting, saying he had left town because he had been arguing with his girlfriend.

Sentencing is scheduled before the trial judge, Michael Garcia, in Department 29 on August 17. Soto faces 25 years to life in prison for first-degree murder and additional time because of his use of a firearm and his prior criminal record.