Jury selection is set to begin later this month in a 2010 murder case in which an Eastside man was savagely beaten to death on his way home from work.
Store clerk George Ied, 37, was severely beaten in October 2010 and left to die on the sidewalk while walking from his workplace, the Mi Fiesta Liquor store on Milpas Street, to his home on Punta Gorda Street.
He died several days later after being placed on life support at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Santa Barbara police said Ied had no criminal history and was not affiliated with a gang.
Brothers Ismael and Miguel Parra, and Steven Santana and Michael Cardenas were arrested, and the Parras and Cardenas will be going to trial later next month.
Those three are facing charges of murder with gang enhancements and committing a crime to benefit a criminal street gang.
Santana pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and gang-related charges in 2011, and will be a witness for the prosecution at trial, according to Deputy District Attorney Hans Almgren.
Santa Barbara police say that what prompted the attack is unknown, but they believe the four men — all with known gang affiliations — are responsible.
The Parra brothers had been released from prison for crimes uncovered during Operation Gator Roll, which occurred in 2007, and had returned to the community..
Jury selection in the case is expected to begin Jan. 28 in Superior Court Judge Brian Hill’s courtroom.
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
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