Visalia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for 2006 Murder
Today in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Joseph Kalashian sentenced Andres Espindola, age 35, to 16 years-to-life in prison for murder. On November 6, 2018, a jury convicted Espindola of second-degree murder with the special allegation that he used a deadly weapon. Espindola also admitted a prior prison term for sexual battery, burglary, felony evading, and vehicle theft.
On January 14, 2006, Espindola was hanging out with family outside of a Visalia residence when he started a series of altercations with residents of an apartment complex across the street. Eventually, the adult male victim, the boyfriend of one of theapartment’s residents, arrived. Espindola threatened the victim before retrieving a knife from a nearby vehicle and stabbed the victim in the leg. The victim died a short time later from massive blood loss.
Espindola immediately fled the scene and travelled to Mexico. In 2015, the Visalia Police Department received a tip on Espindola’s location and worked with Mexican authoritiesand the FBI to have him deported back to the United States. On June 17, 2017, Visalia officers interviewed him and took him in to custody.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Brittany Knotts and investigated by Det. Kevin Grant and Det. James Cummings of the Visalia Police Department.
Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Assistant District Attorney Dave Alavezos (559) 636-5494