Dinuba Man Denied Parole for 1989 Murder of Eight-Year-Old

On May 1, 2018, at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility near San Diego, a California parole board denied parole for Ramiro Bautista, age 71, for the 1989 shooting death of a child in Dinuba. Bautista was given a five-year denial and is not scheduled for another hearing until 2023.

On April 16, 1989, the adult victim was in his truck waiting for his wife while watching his children play near a water fountain at a church in Dinuba. The victim observed Bautista slowlydrive by in a van. At this time, the victim’s 8-year-old son got in the truck and two began to drive away. The van was again nearby, this time with a .22 rifle aiming out of the driver’s window. Bautista opened fire, hitting the adult victim in the shoulder, leg and grazing his head. When hewas hit, he let go of his son’s head which he had been holding down with his hand. The child satup and was fatally struck in the head. Ten bullet holes were found in various parts of the victim’struck. Bautista was apprehended by police shortly after. Bautista claimed the victim was responsible for an incident against his family in Mexico twenty-years prior.

Bautista was sentenced in 1992 to 25 years-to-life in prison after being found guilty of second- degree murder and attempted murder with the special allegations of use of a firearm and inflicting great bodily injury.

This was Bautista’s fifth parole hearing. The District Attorney’s Office routinely attends life parole hearings and a Supervising Deputy District Attorney argued against the inmate’s releasein this case.

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