Robert Valdez, pleaded guilty to 19 felony counts, including arson and two counts of first-degree murder, was sentenced to 605 years in state prison, with two consecutive terms of life without the possibility of parole.
The murders took place in January 2007. Renee Spata and
Marvin Tobar had just ended a date when they arrived at a home in the at North Danube Avenue in Granada Hills. The residence was being rented by Tobar's friends, who were in the process of moving out. During the transition, they were staying with Tobar at his place in North Hollywood. Tobar and Spata went to the Granada Hills home to spend time alone.
During the evening hours, Valdez, who is a documented gang member, broke into the home. He then shot the couple and set the home on fire. A police officer on patrol driving by saw smoke coming from the house and alerted the Los Angeles Fire Department. As firefighters extinguished the flames, they discovered two bodies in one of the rooms.
Police were told by a friend of Tobar that the couple had been in the home that night. However, the bodies were burned so badly that the coroner's office had to identify them through dental records.
Valdez was on parole when he murdered the couple. More than two months after the fire, he was arrested in March 2007, after a four-day crime spree that ended with Valdez shooting at police, falsely imprisoning the residents of a house and hiding in the attic where he was finally captured.
He pleaded guilty in August 2011 to a total of 19 counts, including two counts of first-degree murder, one count of arson, multiple counts of carjacking and robbery, two counts of
assault with a firearm on a police officer, two counts of
kidnapping for robbery and three counts of false imprisonment by violence. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a semiautomatic weapon for a gang-related incident that occurred in January 2007.
His prior convictions include assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer in 1994, robbery in 1995, selling and transportation of a controlled substance in 1996,
possession of a controlled substance in 1997, assault with intent to commit mayhem,
rape, sodomy, oral copulation or other sexual assault in 1999 and selling ammunition to a person under the age of 21 in 2003. He is being held in Los Angeles County Jail until he is taken to a California state prison.
The act of murder is probably one of the most serious violent crimes an individual can be charged with. Defendant's charged with homicide will need the legal services of a qualified lawyer immediately.
At the law offices of Cron, Israels & Stark, our Los Angeles murder defense lawyers have been handling
violent crime cases for decades. Over our many years of criminal defense law practice, we have successfully represented clients against a vast array of violent crimes, including
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With your freedom and possibly your life at stake, it is crucial to have a skilled criminal defense lawyer on your side. The law firm of Cron, Israels & Stark will give you unequaled legal representation in fighting a murder charge. Our initial free consultation allows you to come in and discuss all your legal options in a non-stressful environment.
Call today to set up an appointment; we can help you fight your murder charges.