Parole Granted in 1975 Double Murder
Yesterday at a virtual hearing, California parole commissioners found Henry Borbon, age 87, suitable for parole over the objection of prosecutors. Borbon has served over 45 years of a life sentence for murder and is currently incarcerated at the California Substance Abuse Facility in Corcoran.
In the afternoon of February 28, 1975, Borbon and co-defendant Joe Perez murdered victims Richard Gaither and Rosie Sanchez on Yokohl Drive near Exeter. The men drove the victims to this location in Perez’s car under the guise of a drug transaction. Borbon shot Gaither twice in the back of the head on the side of the road while Perez bludgeoned Sanchez, the mother of his children, with a hammer. When it was apparent that the blows were not fatal, Borbon stabbed Sanchez to death. Her body was discovered days later floating in the Kings River near Stratford.
Witnesses to events before and after the crime led to the men’s arrests. At trial, further witness testimony revealed that Perez, angered by Sanchez’s romantic relationship with Gaither, paid Borbon $1,000 to assist him with the murders.
In November 1978, Borbon was convicted of two counts of murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder. He was sentenced to life in prison. Co-defendant Perez was convicted of first-degree murder in Kern County and was sentenced to death in 1976. His death sentence was later commuted to life in prison.
This was Borbon’s 20th parole hearing. The Office of the District Attorney regularly attends life parole hearings and a deputy district attorney argued against the inmate’s release in 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