TCDA prosecutors have secured a three-year denial of parole for Mark Hicks, age 63, for the 2005 murder of his wife. He is currently serving a life sentence at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad. The hearing was heard in front of commissioners via video conference on June 5, 2026, with members of the victim’s…
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On June 3, 2026, a California parole board issued a three-year denial of parole for Manuel Garza, age 38. Garza has been incarcerated since 2007 for the shooting of a man in Tulare. He is currently serving his sentence at Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga. At about 8 pm on April 30, 2006, Tulare…
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Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Melinda Reed sentenced Cesar Lopez and Mark Aceves, both age 24, to three terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2020 slayings of three young men during a nighttime drug robbery in Visalia. Before midnight on May…
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On May 28, 2026, a California parole board issued a three-year denial of parole for Thonvanh Phutseevong, age 67. Phutseevong has been incarcerated since 1998 for the attempted murder of a man in Porterville. He is currently serving a life sentence at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton. Around 7:40 pm on March 8,…
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Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Ezequiel Carlos Ramirez, age 28, to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 35 years after pleading guilty to the torture and murder of his 23-month-old son, Joziah, and other crimes. “There is no closure in a case like this…
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Today in Department 23 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Cristian Alejandro Garcia, age 32, for crimes against children. At trial, a jury convicted Garcia of nine counts of child molestation with special allegations that there were multiple victims and the conduct was substantial.…
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Two men were convicted of murder in the 2020 deaths of three other men during a nighttime drug robbery at a Visalia high school parking lot. Today TCDA prosecutors secured guilty verdicts against Cesar Lopez and Mark Aceves, both age 24, in a court trial in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court. Judge…
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On May 6, 2026, in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Efren Reyes-Navarro, age 37, for crimes against children. At trial, a jury convicted Reyes-Navarro of 18 counts of felony child molestation, one felony count of aggravated sexual assault of a child, and felony…
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Yesterday in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the Honorable Melinda Reed sentenced Anthony Hanson, now 32, to a total of 132 years to life in prison after being found that he participated in a 2012 shooting at the Visalia Mall for the benefit of a criminal street gang. Despite being convicted by…
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On April 22, 2026, in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Angel Ramiro Pando, age 29, to 5 years and 8 months in prison for drug and firearm crimes after his January conviction. On March 19, 2024, Pando transported approximately 6,000 “M30” counterfeit fentanyl pills, valued at $60,000,…
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District Attorney Tim Ward has announced murder charges in the shooting deaths of a Dinuba couple. On April 21, 2026, Miguel Angel Saldana, age 43, allegedly shot a male and female to death in front of a Dinuba residence. Saldana was arrested a short time later. Saldana is charged with two counts of murder with…
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State legislation that became effective law in 2022 is the latest legal hurdle faced by TCDA prosecutors in the 2012 Visalia Mall candy store gang shooting that severely wounded two and shook the community. On April 7, 2026, in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Anthony Hanson, now 32 and already serving life…
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On Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Steven Avila, age 33, to 450 years to life in prison for crimes against two children. At trial, a Tulare County jury found Avila guilty of eighteen counts of lewd act upon a child under the…
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The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office will be holding a public meeting on April 7, 2026, to discuss the AB 481 Annual Military Equipment Report and its funding, acquisition, and/or use of military equipment as defined by the bill. The meeting will be held from 8:30 am to 9:30 am. Location: Tulare County District Attorney’s…
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On March 5, 2026, a California parole board issued a 3-year denial of parole for Steven Richard Williams, age 62. Williams is currently serving a life sentence at Valley State Prison in Chowchilla for crimes against children. In late 2000, Williams assaulted three male victims under the age of 14 at locations in Tulare County.…
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Yesterday in Department 4 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Saul Saldana Armenta, age 22, to four years in state prison, the minimum state prison sentence under the law, for killing a man while driving the wrong way on Highway 99 while intoxicated. Under California law, this crime is punishable by a…
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On March 3, 2026, in Department 4 of the Tulare County Superior Court, TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Ping See, age 40, for gross vehicular manslaughter. At approximately 2:30 am on April 21, 2021, See drove her Honda SUV at speeds estimated at 80 miles per hour westbound on Walnut Avenue in Visalia.…
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On March 3, 2026, via video conference, TCDA prosecutors secured a 3-year denial of parole for Agustine Martinez Moreno, age 55, for a 2005 DUI crash that took the lives of three family members. Moreno is currently serving a life sentence at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. On April 8, 2005,…
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On February 27, 2026, in Department 4 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Michael Ryan Baker, age 31, of Fresno, to four years in state prison for robbery. Around 9:30 in the morning on April 25, 2025, Visalia Police Department Officers responded to a gas station on Dinuba Boulevard for reports of…
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On February 20, 2026, a California parole board issued a 5-year denial for Erik Zelms, age 60, who is serving life in prison for violations of California’s Three Strikes Law. Zelms is currently incarcerated at Valley State Prison in Chowchilla. Zelms’ extensive criminal history began at the age of 18 for forging a credit card…
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On Monday, February 23, 2026, in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Steven Avila, age 33, for crimes against two children. At trial, a Tulare County jury found Avila guilty of eighteen counts of lewd act upon a child under the age of fourteen,…
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On February 17, 2026, in Department 4 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Manuel Huitron, age 70, to life in prison for child molestation. From 2016 to 2019, Huitron abused eight female victims, all under the age of 14. On some occasions, Huitron would give small amounts of money to…
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This morning in Department 23 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, the court sentenced Oscar Zavala, age 29, to life in prison without the possibility of parole. TCDA prosecutors secured guilty verdicts against Zavala for the 2023 gang murder of a rival gang member last month. At approximately 1:45 am…
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Late in the afternoon of February 6, 2026, in Department 4 of the Tulare County Superior Court, TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Saul Saldana Armenta, age 22, for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Around 3:11 am on April 24, 2024, Saldana Armenta was driving the wrong direction in the #1 (fast) lane on…
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District Attorney Tim Ward has announced criminal charges against Visalia man Miguel Camacho, age 28, for the murder of a 75-year-old woman in southeast Visalia. On February 4, 2026, it is alleged that Camacho drove his car through the gates of an apartment complex. Camacho then proceeded to bang on doors while attempting to gain…
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