[UPDATED with Conviction:] Saul Jose Salazar Guilty of Fatally Stabbing Mom's Tenant

See the update at the end of this post on Salazar being convicted.


ORIGINAL POST, NOV. 8, 10:32 A.M.: A man with a history of crime and a restraining taken out by his mother for the violence directed at her is scheduled to stand trial today for murdering her house guest.

Saul Jose Salazar, 29, of Santa Ana, could get up to 16 years to life in state prison if he is convicted of murdering 33-year-old Leopoldo Antonio Verdugo Cabrera, who died after a knife was plunged into his chest in October 2010.
]

See also:
Leopoldo Antonio Verdugo Cabrera, 2010 OC Homicide No. 48: Landlady's Son With Long Rap Sheet is Alleged Killer
[UPDATED with Delay:] Saul Jose Salazar Faces Murder Trial for Stabbing of Mom's Tenant
Julian Sermano Gets 16 Years in Prison for Stabbing Murder of Critic of His Singing

Salazar and Cabrera argued late the night of Oct. 3, 2010, because Salazar did not like the fact Cabrera was living in Salazar's
mother's Santa Ana apartment. Cabrera was stabbed several times in the upper body that night before stumbling into
someone else's apartment, asking for help and collapsing. He was rushed to UCI Medical Center in Orange, where
he died. Salazar was also treated at a hospital for cuts he
sustained to his hands before being jailed for Cabrera's murder.

Santa
Ana Police logs show Salazar's mother twice phoned cops–two days
before the attack and earlier the same day–concerning domestic disputes
involving her son at her apartment on Fairview between Edinger and Warner avenues.

In this case you better not call Saul: Salazar was already well known to law enforcement by that night, having twice violated
restraining orders obtained by his mother and been imprisoned for felony
drug possession and misdemeanor burglary and possession of burglary
tools. He'd also previously been jailed for separate incidents of: DUI;
misdemeanor battery; misdemeanor battery and injury to telephone lines; and felony accessory after the fact.

Salazar is charged with one felony count of murder with a sentencing
enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon. His trial in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana was originally scheduled to begin in August, but his defense
won a delay, the Orange County District Attorney's office explained at
the time.

UPDATE, NOV. 26, 3:30 P.M.: A Santa Ana jury today convicted Saul Jose Salazar of one felony count of second
degree murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a
deadly weapon.

He faces up to 16 years to life in state
prison at his scheduled Feb. 15 sentencing hearing, according to a statement from the Orange County District Attorney's office.

Follow OC Weekly on Twitter @ocweekly or on Facebook!

One Reply to “[UPDATED with Conviction:] Saul Jose Salazar Guilty of Fatally Stabbing Mom's Tenant”

  1. He is my cusin , i feel so bad about how his life turn out to be when he was young he was just a child that was raised with physical abuse, emotional abuse , he never learn to love although he seemed to be a nice person he choose the wrong path , he found love in the wrong place leading to his troubled live in and out of jail , I remember when i was 13 years old i asked him he could change his life around that it wasn’t late , his response was.” I rather live in jail then out here , when im in jail im not stressed out im good i like being in there.” I was sad about his response. I cant believe he did this it really sucks yet i know the victim as well and the personality he had and that neither were good people. Yet i know killing is not the answer

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *