Man convicted in 1996 killing

A Tulare County jury Tuesday found Mario Villa, 54, of Cutler, guilty of firstdegree murder with the special allegation of personal use of a firearm in the 1996 killing of another man.

The Tulare County District Attorney’s office said on Jan. 1, 1996, the victim drove to a friend’s house to celebrate the New Year and was immediately attacked by a group of men in the street. He was beaten, bound and transported out of town to a canal where Villa shot the defenseless man multiple times in the head, killing him. The group then attempted to burn the body to cover up the crime.

Later on New Year’s Day, a motorist saw what he thought was a victim of a traffic accident collapsed along the side of the road. When firefighters responded, they roused the man, and while doing so, happened upon the murdered victim’s body just a few yards away. The would-betraffic-accident victim turned out to be one of the assailants, too incapacitated to flee the scene of the murder that took place just a few hours prior. Once revived, he led law enforcement to the others involved, including Villa.

Later that year, Villa was found to be incompetent to stand trial. When he was finally declared competent two decades later, accountability for the murder of an innocent man was waiting. The value of the life lost was not forgotten and Villa now faces 35 years to life in prison.

Sentencing is set for July 26.