Gang Member Sentenced To Life In Prison For 2006 Killing

A Desert Hot Springs man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole today for gunning down a friend over what turned out to be a false rumor that the defendant’s girlfriend was raped by the victim.

Concepcion Rodriguez, 35, was convicted April 28 of the 2006 killing of Anastacio “Taquito” Torres, with a special circumstance allegation of murder in the commission of a kidnapping.

Co-defendant Mingus Chavarria, 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced in May to 15 years to life in prison.

Several of the victim’s family members were on hand for Rodriguez’s sentencing at the Larson Justice Center.

“On behalf of my family, I want to thank the court for bringing us justice,” said Ernest Torres Jr., the victim’s brother. “And we pray to God he has mercy on Mr. Rodriguez. We pray he finds the Lord in prison.”

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Richard A. Erwood denied defense attorney Demitra Tolbert’s new trial and acquittal motions, and request that Rodriguez not be required to pay restitution to the victim’s family.

Erwood said the evidence indicated that Chavarria, who testified at Rodriguez’s trial, was a credible witness.

“The jury also found him credible,” the judge said. “He testified to the confrontation, bringing (Rodriguez’s) girlfriend in … and then (Rodriguez) shooting (Torres), causing the victim’s death.”

Deputy District Attorney Manny Bustamante said at trial that the rumor that Torres had raped Rodriguez’s girlfriend, Andrea Garcia, had been circulating for several weeks before she substantiated the account.

Rodriguez, he said, waited for Torres at his apartment in the 66000 block of Second Street in Desert Hot Springs the night of May 13, 2006. When Torres arrived home, the two got into an argument over the subject. They left when the mother of Torres’ girlfriend got upset that they were fighting, Bustamante said.

“(Rodriguez) told (Torres) `If you don’t have anything to hide, then just come with me,”‘ Bustamante said. “That was the last time anybody ever saw Anastacio alive.”

Rodriguez and Chavarria bound Torres’ hands together with zip ties, walked him to a car and drove him to Rodriguez’s apartment on Palm Drive, Bustamante said.

Once at the apartment, Bustamante said, Rodriguez — while waving a gun – – questioned both Torres and Garcia about the rumor he heard.

“He said it was going to be him or her, but somebody will tell him the truth,” Bustamante said.

Once Garcia said she was, indeed, raped by Torres, she was taken out of the room and Rodriguez shot the victim, according to the prosecution.

Garcia testified during the trial that the rumor was false, but said she felt like she had to admit to it during the tense moment.

Chavarria testified that he witnessed the shooting at Rodriguez’s apartment.

“I was in front of Taquito in the middle of the room and Mr. Rodriguez was behind him, shooting at a downward position,” Chavarria said, adding that Rodriguez fired three shots in quick succession.

Torres was found dead the morning of May 14 near Verbena Drive and San Lorenzo Drive, atop two blankets, with his hands secured in front of him, according to police.