Oscar Robles Diaz Sentenced to 16 Years to Life for Stabbing Ex-Roommate to Death


Oscar Robles Diaz, who killed a former roommate by stabbing him 20 times outside the Santa Ana residence they once shared, has been sentenced to 16 years to life in state prison.

Into the wee hours of May 28, 2009, Diaz, 47-year-old Leon Abarca Torres and other current and former residents sang, drank and talked story before the first two men broke into an argument. That's when 26-year-old Diaz repeatedly stabbed Torres.
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Diaz was arrested around 8 a.m. that same morning by the Santa Ana police officers who discovered his clothing had dried blood on it. That would later link Diaz to DNA evidence found at the scene.

However, a jury in May was hung up on whether to find Diaz guilty of first- or
second-degree murder. Last month, a second jury voted unanimously for second-degree murder with a
sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon found
true.

Before Diaz was sentenced, Torres' wife delivered a victim-impact statement where she said Diaz took half of her life when he took away her husband and the
father of her son. She added that while her family no longer has the love and
support of Torres because of Diaz, she forgives
the killer because her son is the same age and she realizes Diaz didn't just ruin her life but his own.

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