An Eastlake man who was convicted of killing his younger brother pleaded guilty Monday to stabbing a jail inmate with a homemade shank.
Alberto Gonzalez Figueroa Jr., 37, already faces 25 years to life in prison after a jury on Feb. 9 found him guilty of first-degree murder in the April 2, 2013, death of his brother Mario Gonzalez Figueroa, 23.
Deputy District Attorney Ryan Karkenny said Monday Figueroa could get another four years in prison with the guilty plea to assault with a deadly weapon and other charges. The inmate who was stabbed in 2013 recovered.
Karkenny said he faces an additional year for the jail stabbing, another year for having a conviction for assaulting a federal officer, and two years consecutively for using a Samurai sword and a barbecue fork to kill his brother.
The nine man, three woman jury deliberated six hours before rejecting Figueroa’s self-defense claim that his brother attacked him first with the sword and barbecue fork. Mario Figueroa was stabbed 38 times and died in his family’s condominium in the 2700 block of Lakeridge Circle in Chula Vista.
Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Theodore Weathers set sentencing on Monday for March 23. Figueroa remains in jail without bail.
Figueroa told jurors Feb. 4 the fight between his brother and himself started after “a confrontation” in a hallway when “we collided” on his way to the bathroom. Figueroa said they exchanged words and minutes later, his brother attacked him with the sword and barbecue fork.
“I was responding, fighting for my life, defending myself. I did poke at him with it(the sword), and with the barbecue fork,” said Figueroa.
On cross examination by Karkenny, Figueroa acknowledged his only injuries were cut fingers when he and his brother fought over control of the sword.
Witnesses testified about Figueroa’s prior altercations with his brother, and the defendant’s use of alcohol which contributed to it. His attorney, Solomon Rouston, asked jurors to acquit him of murder, but added that they could consider a guilty verdict of voluntary manslaughter.
