Pair sentenced to life in prison for 2015 Indio killing

Two reputed gang members were sentenced to life prison terms today for the 2015 shooting death of a 19-year-old man in Indio.

Martin Gutierrez Jr., 24, and Enrique Villa Alvarez, 23, were found guilty of second-degree murder and a gang enhancement in the killing of Indio resident Julio Chavez Barraza on Sept. 22, 2015.

Gutierrez was sentenced to 85 years to life, according to Riverside County District Attorney’s Office spokesman John Hall.

He also was found guilty of two other charges from a crime that occurred six weeks prior to Barraza’s death, including possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and attempted murder.

He will serve 13 years and four months for that conviction before the 85-year-to-life term begins.

Gutierrez’s attorney, Christopher DeSalva, said he filed a motion for these charges to be tried separately, but the request was denied.

Alvarez was sentenced to 40 years, according to Hall.

The sentence comes after jurors were deadlocked on a guilty verdict in a 10-2 split on the murder charge last month.

The 2015 shooting was reported at 9:11 p.m. outside an apartment complex in the 83-300 block of Gemini Street, police said. Chavez Barraza was pronounced dead at the scene.

The pair were arrested Sept. 23, 2015, according to jail records.

A witness to the murder — and friend of the victim — testified during trial that Chavez Barraza was shot because he refused to give up his seat.