30-something will spend rest of life behind bars

A Chula Vista man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 65 years for killing two men in 2002 and 2005.

Jose Luis Valdez, 32, was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder in the Dec. 12, 2002, fatal shooting of Joseph Anthony Medina, 22, in Chula Vista, and first-degree murder in the Oct. 13, 2005, slaying of Daniel Rodriguez, 20, who also lived in the South Bay.

El Cajon Superior Court Judge John Thompson ordered Valdez to pay $2,682.86 for Medina’s funeral expenses and $5,000 for Rodriguez’s funeral.

The jury also found true that Valdez committed a special circumstance, multiple murders, which allowed for the life without parole sentence. Thompson added other years for weapon and gang allegations.

Valdez went on trial for the July 6, 2003, fatal shooting of Francisco Chaires, 22, in National City, but the jury deadlocked 11-1 for conviction. The charge was later dismissed after he was sentenced on the other slayings.
Valdez had credits of 735 days in jail since he was arrested in 2013, but those credits are moot considering he is serving a life without parole sentence.

John Paul Reyna, 32, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Rodriguez’s death and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Reyna got involved because Rodriguez was dating Reyna’s sister and he was quoted as saying he didn’t like the way Rodriguez treated her.

Valdez, Reyna and Rashad Tariq Lansing, 35, picked up Rodriguez at his home on a ruse that they were going to an East County casino. The car was stopped near a bridge in Alpine and Valdez suggested to Rodriguez that they spray paint on a bridge. Valdez and Rodriguez got out of the car and got spray paint from the trunk. However, Valdez shot Rodriguez in the head and left him on the south shoulder of Interstate 8.

A California Highway Patrol officer found him at 9:30 p.m. and he was taken to a hospital where he died. Rodriguez’s clothes were searched and they found Valdez’s cell phone number written on a piece of paper. An officer called Valdez later and he denied knowing Rodriguez, according to testimony.

Lansing also pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Rodriguez’s death; he will be sentenced on Nov. 18. Reyna received credits of 853 days in jail. The trial was held in El Cajon because the last murder occurred in East County.