Politics & Government
Long-Time Fugitive Convicted Of Silver Lake Handyman's Murder
Jurors on Thursday convicted a former fugitive of murder in the 2008 shooting death of a handyman at a Silver Lake triplex.
LOS ANGELES, CA — A man convicted of killing a handyman and cutting off his left hand before fleeing to Mexico more than a decade ago is facing up to 50 years to life in state prison.
Jurors found Alan Machain, 37, guilty Thursday of first-degree murder for the Oct. 8, 2008, shooting of Cesar Valenzuela, 44, of South Gate.
The victim -- who had been hired to do maintenance and repairs by the owner of a triplex in Silver Lake -- was shot at least three times and his left hand -- which was never found -- was cut off inside the home. His body was found five days later in a bathroom.
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The motive for the killing was unclear.
Machain, a Lynwood resident whose brother was an employee of the property owner, had been given permission to occasionally stay in an unoccupied rental unit at the facility, according to testimony.
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Machain fled the area after being sought as a person of interest, and he remained in hiding until he was arrested in Tijuana, Mexico, in June 2017 and returned to the United States, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
He is due back in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom for sentencing Nov. 19.
City News Service