Bakersfield Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Elder Murder

Late yesterday afternoon at the South County Justice Center in Porterville, the court sentenced Giovanni Abujalil, age 32, to life in prison for the murder of this father. On May 16, 2022, Abujalil pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and felony elder abuse. He also admitted to using a knife during the crime.

On January 27, 2022, deputies with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a suspicious person at a residence near Porterville. When they arrived, they found Abujalil sitting in a vehicle with his 75-year-old father laid across the rear passenger seats. Abujalil’s father was covered in blood and showed no signs of life. He had four stab wounds to his neck, one to his eye, and defensive wounds to his hands. When deputies removed the victim from the vehicle, they discovered a bloody pocket knife.

Abujalil has a prior strike conviction from 2010 for first-degree burglary in Los Angeles County. He also has 11 additional felony convictions, including two for felony elder abuse. He was released from prison on parole one week before murdering his father.

According to current sentencing laws, Abujalil is eligible for parole in no more than 56 years.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Avi Feinstein and was investigated by Detective Jose Melendez of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.

Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Assistant District Attorney Dave Alavezos (559) 636-5494