A third defendant pleaded out of the Anthony Ibarra gang murder and torture case. On March 6, Verenisa Castillo Aviles pleaded no contest to kidnapping with a gang allegation, assault with the likelihood of causing great bodily injury, and false imprisonment in the death of Santa Maria resident Anthony Ibarra. Aviles was one of 11 people originally arrested in connection with the case.
As part of the deal, the murder charge against Aviles was dropped. Santa Barbara County Senior Deputy District Attorney Ann Bramsen said Aviles will be sentenced on May 8 to nine years and eight months in prison.
Ibarra was tortured and fatally stabbed on March 17, 2013, at a residence on Donovan Road. Two days later, his body was found in the back of a U-Haul truck in Orcutt.
Remaining defendants in the case are Ramon Maldonado; Reyes Gonzales, Jr.; Santos Manuel Sauceda; David Murillo Maldonado, Jr.; Robert Sosa; Anthony Solis; Ramon Maldonado, Jr.; and Jason Castillo.
The two other defendants arrested in connection to the case pleaded guilty and no contest last year to being accessories to murder.
Bramsen said the next hearing in the case is expected to be on March 14 at 1:30 p.m.
This article appears in Mar 13-20, 2014.