LOS ANGELES — A 41-year-old man was effectively set up to spend the rest of his life incarcerated, with a sentence of 50 years to life for a first-degree murder conviction.
Juan Carlos Perez was convicted in Noe Martinez’ shooting death on November 21, 2009. Early that morning, a South Pasedena officer saw a white Toyota Corolla on the side of the road on the 1000 block of Arroyo Drive.
As the officer approached, Perez exited and ran way from the vehicle. Inside the car they discovered the victim suffering from two gunshot wounds to his head.
The investigation began — authorities determined that Martinez and Noe were at a bar together prior to the shooting. They found a holster and two spent shell casings in the car, which was registered to Martinez.
Although a warrant was issued for the suspect, it wasn’t until a year later that he was arrested in Illinois, after his fingerprints were ran in a database. He was returned to California to face his future.
