A California man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of three brutal murders that spanned four years, all because he felt disrespected.
Anthony Velasquez, 35, was sentenced on Friday to 150 years to life in prison for the killings of Jesse Avalos in 2014, Eduardo Robles in 2015, and Amanda Nicole Lopez in 2018.
A Los Angeles jury found him guilty on three counts of first-degree murder after just five and a half hours of deliberation, according to local outlet KABC.
“You, Anthony, are and always will be nothing more than certified homicidal serial killer who has no heart and no conscience,” Amanda Lopez’s mother, Rozelle Lopez, told the court during sentencing.
The murders, which terrorized East Los Angeles for years, went unsolved until investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office publicly linked the killings in 2021. Authorities even announced an $80,000 reward for information leading to an arrest during a press conference that summer.
Timeline of the Murders
- February 11, 2014 – Jesse Avalos, 34, was found shot to death inside his SUV near Telegraph Road and Arizona Avenue. He had gone out earlier that night to help jumpstart a car, but was discovered dead hours later.
- July 6, 2015 – Eduardo Robles, 38, was fatally shot after a party altercation with Velasquez. Prosecutors said Velasquez punctured Robles’ tires before walking up to him and firing multiple shots with the same weapon used in Avalos’ killing.
- April 22, 2018 – Amanda Lopez, 27, was living in a homeless encampment near the East Los Angeles Courthouse when Velasquez approached her tent and opened fire, killing her as she slept.
All three murders occurred within a two-mile radius and shared strikingly similar suspect descriptions, which eventually tied the cases together.
Authorities later arrested Velasquez along with his father, Manuel Velasquez, who prosecutors said played a direct role in the crimes.
Manuel, now 55, was accused of helping his son kill Robles and dispose of evidence. Investigators also believe he was present for all three killings and acted as the getaway driver in Amanda Lopez’s murder.
“Usually fathers protect their kids,” Lt. Hugo Reynaga told The Los Angeles Times at the time. “Well, I guess he protected Anthony from getting arrested.”
In February, Manuel Velasquez pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and accessory after the fact. He was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
At Friday’s sentencing, grief-stricken family members shared the devastating impact of their loss.
“There is not one day that I don’t think about my dad,” Eduardo Avalos’ daughter told the court. “I won’t ever have my dad and daughter dance. I won’t have my dad to walk me down the aisle.”
