CASE OF INTEREST
Date:
December 20, 2002
Case: People v. Chris
Ayala
Contact: Douglas Whaley, State Targeted Offenses
Program/CDC, (916) 874-7321
District Attorney Jan Scully announced today
that, after a jury trial, Chris Ayala was found guilty of the robbery
and murder of George Chimero in his Rancho Cordova Home on March 24,
2000. Sentencing will be January 24th, 2002 at 9:00 in Department
41 of the Sacramento Superior Court. Ayala’s Codefendant, Daniel
Sanford, is already serving life without parole after his plea of guilty
to murder with a special circumstance and robbery.
The 80-year old victim was targeted for robbery
by the two because he had cashed payroll checks for Sanford in the past
when Sanford was employed with the victim’s son. Sanford and Ayala
believed that Chimero had substantial sums of money on hand. They wanted
money to continue the methamphetamine binge they had been on the preceding
days. The two went to the residence shortly after 8:00 am. Ayala let
Sanford off and drove around the block while Sanford approached the
residence. The victim was assaulted in his dining room and later died
of his injuries. Sanford and Ayala ransacked three bedrooms in the home
and made off with a large safe.
Sacramento Sheriff’s detectives from the
Homicide and Warrant-Fugitive details worked around the clock for three
days gathering evidence and finally capturing the two defendants. Ayala
was found driving the car used in the crime and Sanford was arrested
after an armed standoff with sheriff’s deputies at an apartment
in the Foothill Farms area.
Deputy District Attorney Douglas Whaley praised
the excellent work by the Sheriff's detectives in the investigation
and apprehension of the two. "The detectives acted quickly and
diligently and put together a very strong case." Regarding the
case Whaley said, "This is a classic example of how incorrect it
is to say drug use is a victimless crime. Clearly the methamphetamine
use here ended the life of the victim, and ruined those of the defendants
and all three respective families."
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