Man Guilty In Rancho Palos Verdes Ambush Murder

PALOS VERDES, CA – A 22-year-old man was sentenced Tuesday to 28 years to life in prison for the murder of a Long Beach man whose body was found inside an SUV that had been set on fire in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Jose Angel Martinez of Compton was convicted Oct. 6 of one count each of first-degree murder and arson in the death of Christopher Waters, whose body was found in the flaming SUV at 30100 Miraleste Drive at 2:30 p.m. on April 23, 2013. His feet had been bound and a cord was wrapped around his neck.

The 42-year-old victim's mother, Cora Klahn, told Superior Court Judge Laura Laesecke that she is "haunted by the vision of my boy being beaten, strangled and his body set on fire," according to the Long Beach Press- Telegram.

The defendant's mother, Cynthia Flores, disputed whether her son was responsible for the killing and said she loves him "regardless of what's going on right now," the newspaper reported.

Martinez was charged along with Adrian Berumen, who was 17 at the time of the crime.

The case against Berumen was transferred to a juvenile court, but the status of that case was not immediately clear.

Deputy District Attorney Brian Kang told jurors in Martinez's trial that Berumen and Martinez ambushed Waters. The prosecutor alleged Berumen told the victim to bring rent and deposit money for an apartment that did not exist, and that the two called a cab, went to the Lakewood mall and began spending the victim's money after his vehicle was set ablaze.

City News Service; Image via Shutterstock