Indio man gets life imprisonment
EL CENTRO — A 31-year-old Indio resident was sentenced on Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for his role in the 2016 beating death of a 57-year-old Salton City resident.
Justin Louis Darnell Alford’s stiff prison sentence was largely prompted by his having initiated the home invasion robbery that led to the beating death of Donald “Doc” Tarker on May 25,
2016.
“Mr. Alford was the primary planner, instigator and perpetrator of the crime,” said county Superior Court Judge Christopher Plourd prior to handing down the sentence. The life sentence stems from Alford’s conviction on June 20 for murder with the special circumstance of having committed the act during the commission of a robbery and residential burglary.
The court also tacked on an additional 38 years imprisonment — to run consecutively — for Alford’s convictions of two counts of battery with great bodily injury (14 years each), and one count of making criminal threats (10 years). Alford’s sentence was spared dozens of additional years of imprisonment for his convictions of conspiracy, as well as robbery and burglary that resulted in great bodily injuries. Those sentences were stayed by Plourd. Alford’s punitive sentence also reflects enhancements stemming from a 2005 conviction in Riverside County for involuntary manslaughter, which had resulted in seven years in state prison, according to a county Probation Department report.
More recently he was convicted in October 2015 in Imperial County for making criminal threats and sentenced to three years of probation.
Before he could successfully finish probation, it was revoked and Alford was sentenced to two years in state prison, the report stated.
Prior to the imposition of the sentence, counsel had argued both for and against Plourd’s decision to stay or impose some of the sentences.
Although county Deputy District Attorney Miriam Shoval was in agreement with the court’s staying of the sentences for Alford’s robbery and burglary convictions, she had argued against staying the conspiracy sentence.
The conspiracy sentence should have been imposed since the crime occurred prior to the burglary and robbery taking place, she said.
“That does not overlap with the actual crime itself,” Shoval said.
Similarly, defense attorney Monica Lepe-Negrete had sought stays of Alford’s sentences for his battery and making criminal threats convictions.
She had argued that the criminal threats and battery were done in the same course of conduct and intent as the robbery and therefore those sentences should be stayed.
Lepe-Negrete also decried the fact that one of Alford’s co-defendants had recently received a 16-year prison term in connection to the case, while her client faced life without parole.
“I want the court to also use some of that compassion,” she said.
On July 11, co-defendant Kevin Scott was sentenced to 16 years in prison, after having agreed to testify for the prosecution.
On Thursday, as before, Plourd had characterized Scott’s testimony as less than truthful, while Shoval stated that it was misguided to compare Scott’s role with that of Alford’s.
Alford reportedly delivered the “death blow” to Tarker, Shoval said.
Alford did not testify during his trial, nor make any statement during his sentencing Wednesday.
He had reportedly been employed as a certified nursing assistant in Palm Springs for a year and a half at the time of his arrest, according to the probation report.
An appeal of Alford’s conviction was filed by Lepe-Negrete shortly after sentencing.
Tarker was described on Wednesday by his friend Angela Weaver as someone whose presence “could light up a room.”
Weaver had been present on the night in question and was one of three houseguests who had suffered injuries as a result of the home invasion robbery and subsequent beatings.
During her impact statement, Weaver spoke of the emotional and psychological turmoil she and her daughter have contended with since that fateful night.
“Life will never be the same for me and my family,” Weaver said. “There really in no justice that can change the outcome of our lives.”
Sentencing for co-defendant Aaron Jackson, 22, of Indio, was scheduled for Wednesday as well, but had been postponed on account of a defense motion seeking a mental evaluation, Shoval said.
Jackson is due back in court on Aug. 21.
Tarker was licensed to grow medical marijuana at his Salton City home, which was reportedly targeted for burglary and theft by the defendants, who were not expecting the home to be occupied on the night in question, according to court testimony.