SANTA ANA — A 33-year-old man pleaded guilty Friday and was immediately sentenced to 16 years in prison for beating his roommate to death with a metal pole in Santa Ana.
Ricardo Antunez Villalba pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon, both felonies, and admitted sentencing enhancements for the personal use of a deadly weapon and inflicting great bodily injury on the victim. Orange County Superior Court Judge Michael Cassidy gave Villalba credit for 1,771 days behind bars.
Villalba killed 21-year-old Erik Quebrado of Santa Ana Dec. 11, 2021.
The two had been drinking when they got into a dispute around 2:50 a.m. in their residence in the 800 block of South Townsend Street, police said.
As part of a plea deal, a murder charge was dismissed.