SANTA ANA — A man and woman with previous felony convictions were found guilty Monday of fatally shooting a 20-year-old rival gang member in Santa Ana nearly seven years ago.
Vincent Alcaraz, 53, and Dorsa Pourhajir, 28, got into an unspecified dispute with Victor Palomera on Nov. 5, 2018, in the 2300 block of Ramona Drive, near the intersection of Warner Avenue and Flower Street, according to police and court records
The dispute escalated into a fight that led both defendants to shoot the victim, according to police.
Police linked Alcaraz to the shooting from DNA on a ball cap and inside the GMC Sierra he was driving, police said during a preliminary hearing.
Prosecutors said in court papers that video surveillance provided evidence of the shooting.
The video “establishes that the victim was peacefully walking down the street he lives on, with co-defendant Pourhajir, and was unarmed,” prosecutors said in court papers.
“The video shows Mr. Alcaraz stop his vehicle in the middle of the street,” prosecutors said. “He immediately exited the vehicle while simultaneously pointing a loaded firearm in the victim’s face. The victim puts his hands up and attempts to step back away from the defendant.”
Alcaraz “continues to point his gun at the unarmed man and then strikes him in the forehead with the butt of a gun,” prosecutors said.
As the victim defended himself from the pistol-whipping, he was shot in the chest, prosecutors said.
The video also shows Pourhajir stride up to the victim, who was on his hands and knees, and shoot him, prosecutors said.
Alcaraz and Pourhajir were convicted of first-degree murder with a sentencing enhancement for discharge of a gun causing death.
Alcaraz was also found guilty of possession of a gun by a felon, possessing a controlled substance while armed and a prohibited person owning ammunition.
Pourhajir was also convicted of possessing a gun as a felon.
The two are scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 3.