Tulare Man Denied Parole for 1999 Baseball Bat Murder

On December 19, 2019, at the Sierra Conservation Center near Jamestown, a California parole board denied parole for Alfred Galaz, age 40, for the 1999 murder of a man at a Tulare gas station. Galaz was given a three-year denial.

On January 14, 1999, Galaz and three of his friends drove to a gas station in Tulare to get beer. As they pumped a few dollars of gas in the car, the victim, an adult male, approached asking for a ride home. They agreed, and Galaz attempted to translate the Spanish-speaking victim’s directions, but became angry when the house could not be located. Galaz hit the victim twice in the head with a baseball bat and kicked him out of the car. Galaz exited the car and continued to hit the victim in the head with the bat, and proceeded to hit one of his friends who attempted to help the victim.

Galaz was convicted of second-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon and was sentenced to 16-years-to-life in prison.

This was Galaz’s second parole hearing. The District Attorney’s Office routinely attends life parole hearings and a Supervising 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 Robert Dempsie (559) 636-5494