Parole Denied in Two Elder Murder Cases
On Wednesday, December 4, 2019, TCDA prosecutors secured the parole denials of two inmates currently serving life sentences for murder. The Office of the District Attorney regularly attends such hearings and argued against these inmates’ potential release.
At California State Prison Solano, a parole board issued a 5-year denial for Ernest Malone, age 59, for the 1982 murder and robbery of a 74-year-old Tulare man. On May 25, Malone and his older brother, Albert Howard, broke into the victims’ house and ransacked it after being unable to steal their car parked outside. During the robbery, Malone and Howard beat the victim to death and severely beat his 71-year-old wife. The pair fled the residence with the victims’ wallet, purse, and other valuables. A witness later reported that Malone and Howard were overheard talking that they had “downed” some people and “stomped” them to the point of not being able to be identified. Malone was taken into custody three days after the crime in Pamona.
In May of 1983, Malone was convicted of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of murder for financial gain, two counts of robbery, and one count of first-degree burglary. He was initially sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, but the special circumstance was reversed in 1985, which made him eligible for parole after 29 years. This was Malone’s sixth parole hearing. Malone possessed a prior second-degree murder conviction in Los Angeles for which he was paroled in 1981. Albert Howard was sentenced to death for his role in the crimes. He died of natural causes while on death row in 2009.
At Calipatria State Prison, a parole board issue a 3-year denial for Alfred Estrada, age 64, for the 1983 murder of a 79-year-old Earlimart man. Around 6:30 pm September 5, Estrada and a female entered the back door of an Earlimart residence to allegedly borrow money from the victim’s roommate. Instead, the pair robbed the victim, who was resting on his couch, and severely beat him with the butt of a rifle causing massive internal bleeding. He was later found deceased when his roommate returned to the residence two hours later.
Just hours later at 2:45 am on September 6, Estrada and another man kicked in the front door of another Earlimart home where they attacked a 71-year-old man with a .22 rifle and demanded money. After obtaining the victim’s wallet, the men fled.
The stolen money and valuables in both of Estrada’s crimes were used to buy heroin.
Estrada was found guilty in 1985 of first-degree murder, two counts of residential robbery, two counts of first-degree residential burglary, and one count of assault with a deadly weapon. The counts were enhanced with special allegations that the crimes caused great bodily injury, a deadly weapon was used, and that Estrada was armed with a firearm. He was sentenced to 36 years-to-life in prison. This was Estrada’s fourth parole hearing.
Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Public Information Officer Stuart Anderson (559) 636-5494