People v. SanMiguel CA2/6

FACTS

Rosario Soto lived with his girlfriend, Emperatriz Marroquin, at a homeless encampment in Thousand Oaks known as “the Jungle.” Marroquin had been friends with SanMiguel for three or four years and knew him as “Capi.” SanMiguel did not live at the Jungle but visited frequently. Events of January 8, 2022 At about 8:00 p.m. on January 8, 2022, Soto and Marroquin were in their small, wooden home at the Jungle when they heard a disturbance. They stepped outside, and Soto put on a headlamp. Marroquin saw SanMiguel and Hugo Arias running toward a man she knew as Mike. SanMiguel was holding a thick, black metal bar and Arias had a baseball bat. SanMiguel and Arias attacked Mike, but he was able to get away. Soto’s headlamp illuminated the attack. SanMiguel approached Soto and told him to turn off the headlamp. Soto tried to comply but could not turn it off. SanMiguel struck Soto in the head with the metal bar. Soto fell to the ground unconscious. Marroquin begged SanMiguel to leave Soto alone, but SanMiguel took the bat from Arias and struck Soto on his legs or feet with it. Still unconscious, Soto did not react. Marroquin got down on the ground and placed her body over Soto to…