Referring to the viciousness and callousness of the crime, a Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge handed down a 50-years-to-life state prison sentence for a Santa Maria man found guilty of fatally shooting a rival gang member 15 times in the back five years ago.

Judge Kristy Imel issued her decision Wednesday after hearing from the family of Mario Angel Merino Gonzalez, 19, of Guadalupe, plus prosecuting and defense attorneys and the defendant himself. 

Alfredo Alaniz, 25, of Santa Maria was arrested weeks after the fatal shooting of Merino Gonzalez around 2 a.m. on May 16, 2021. The killing occurred near North Lincoln and West Mill streets, a block west of North Broadway, Santa Maria police said.

The shooting came after a confrontation between members of two groups — one being West Park gang members including Alaniz, known by the moniker of “Psyko.” The other included Gonzalez, a Guadalupe 13 gang member, and two friends.

Alaniz and friends went to Arroyo Grande after the shooting and he later traveled to Las Vegas, where he was taken into custody weeks later, police said. 

In December, a jury found Alaniz guilty of first-degree murder and also deemed as true several firearm and gang sentencing enhancements. The judge sentenced Alaniz to 25 years to life for murder and a consecutive sentence of 25 years to life for the special allegation.

During the sentencing hearing Wednesday afternoon, a sister and a brother of Merino Gonzalez read victim impact statements in court.

Dulce Merino Gonzalez reflected on learning about her brother’s death.

“From that moment on, my family and I were changed in a way we could never imagine,”  she said.

She ticked off her own milestones her brother missed because of his death, including her high school graduation.

“He was taken from me and my family far too soon, leaving behind a space that can never be filled,” she said, sharing about hearing her mourning mother crying years after the family’s loss.

Brother Gustavo Gonzalez recalled Mario as a “caring, loving and genuine human being,” noting the emptiness in their home and hearts that will remain empty.

While time has passed since his brother’s death, Gustavo Gonzalez said it has not healed them, adding that the family sought justice while also recognizing Mario will remain gone. 

Deputy District Attorney Nicholas Harmon pointed out the victim had been shot 16 times, 15 of which were in the back. That includes four times while the victim was standing and 12 times while he was down.

Harmon called the killing brutal, premeditated, calculated and cold.

“He was 19 years old, and he’s never turning 20,” Harmon said, urging the judge to issue two consecutive sentences of 25 years to life.

Senior Deputy Public Defender Lori Pedego recounted the struggles faced by her client while growing up, including a stint with a foster family.

As a child, Alaniz experienced physical, sexual and emotional abuse along with various types of neglect, the defense attorney said.

While in custody, Alaniz has made positive steps, including undergoing treatment to remove a face tattoo, the defense attorney said.

“He’s not the same person. He’s not the same 21-year-old he was the night of the incident,” Pedego said, urging the judge to use her discretion to scrap one of the 25-years-to-life terms. 

Alaniz ended up back in mother’s custody and landed in juvenile hall where he became familiar with the gang lifestyle and acquiring seemingly loyal friends. 

Speaking slowly with pauses as he became emotional, Alaniz spoke during the hearing, apologizing to the victim’s family and admitting it won’t ease the pain of their loss.

“But I feel like that acknowledgment is the least I can do,” Alaniz said, recognizing that he and the shooting victims might have had more in common, such as having sisters, than their differences.

In his years in county jail, Alaniz said he has made friends with people he once viewed as rivals when not behind bars.

“It gives you a different perspective on life, I guess,” Alaniz said, recalling that he was drinking heavily around the time of the shooting but now holds himself accountable and responsible for the action.

With the loss of life, the judge said the violent killing should serve as “a solemn reminder of the devastating and far-reaching consequences of violent actions.” 

The judge urged Alaniz to make different choices and to pursue a life he can proud of despite being in prison. 

“I wish the courtroom was full of young people who could hear your words,” Imel told the defendant.

He will be remanded to the custody of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.