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3 enter guilty pleas in 2019 Oceano murder case

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Posted at 6:01 PM, Feb 16, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-17 01:55:12-05

Three men accused of a deadly shooting in Oceano back in 2019 entered guilty pleas to the charges against them.

The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office says evidence showed that Robert Garay and Gabriel Garay were riding in a vehicle driven by Nathaniel Jara when the three men came upon Daniel Fuentes riding his bicycle. The three men got out of the vehicle and Robert Garay shot Fuentes twice in the back.

The killing happened just after midnight on April 3, 2019. Fuentes reportedly died at a neighbor's house in the 2200 block of Beach St. after knocking on the door to ask for help.

Robert Garay pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and active participation in a criminal street gang. His younger brother, Gabriel, and Nathaniel Jara both pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and active participation in a criminal street gang.

Sentencing is scheduled to take place in April.

All three have prior strikes under California's Three Strikes sentencing law.

Robert Garay is expected to be sentenced to 30 years to life in state prison. Gabriel Garay is expected to get 13 years and four months in prison, and Jara is expected to receive the same.