San Jose man convicted of 2019 murder

SALINAS >> A 30-year-old San Jose man has been convicted of gunning down a 38-year-old Salinas man over an unreturned bag of clothes in 2019, according to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.

Luis Enrique Lamas-Escalante faces 50 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on July 8.

Prosecutors said Escalante moved in with the victim, Santos Emilio Barriga, in July 2019 and promised to help with the rent. But Escalante did not follow through and moved back to San Jose.

Barriga repeatedly refused to return a bag of clothes Escalante left behind because of the unpaid rent, prosecutors said.

On Aug. 1, 2019, Escalante showed up at Barriga’s home unannounced while he was watching movies with his family. Prosecutors said Escalante confronted Barriga about the bag of clothes and challenged him to a fight. Barriga told Escalante to calm down, but he got increasingly angry and drew a handgun from his waistband.

Barriga grabbed his wife and stepson and turned around to help them get back inside the house. That’s when Escalante fired several rounds at Barriga, one of which penetrated his back and pierced a lung, prosecutors said. Barriga died during surgery less than an hour later.

Barriga’s wife and stepson testified during the twoweek trial and identified Escalante as the shooter.

In addition to one count of first-degree, premeditated, willful and deliberate murder with multiple firearm enhancements, a jury found Escalante guilty of two counts of assault with a firearm, along with firearm enhancements, including one count of shooting at an inhabited house.