A third person involved in a 2005 fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old man in National City has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
Anthony Raymond Rivers, 31, was only arrested a year ago, but witnesses identified him as the man who stabbed Luis Vasquez on April 10, 2005, in the 200 block of Highland Avenue. The slaying is gang related.
Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Theodore Weathers set sentencing for Nov. 6. Rivers remains in jail on $3 million bail.
Deputy District Attorney Robert Eacret said Rivers is likely to receive a sentence of 22 years in prison. Rivers also admitted to committing the crime to benefit a street gang and to personally using a knife in the homicide which are enhancements that can lead to a 22-year sentence.
The first person arrested in 2005, David Hurtado, who is also known as Jose Hernandez, also pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and a gang enhancement. Hurtado was sentenced to 13 years in prison. It is believed he has been paroled.
National City Police arrested Jorge Ibarra, now 31, on Jan. 25, 2017. Ibarra has since pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting voluntary manslaughter and two counts of assault. He is expected to get up to six years when he is sentenced on Nov. 9. Ibarra remains in jail.
Murder charges against all three men were dismissed after they pleaded guilty to manslaughter or aiding and abetting manslaughter.
Rivers was first arrested on Aug. 30, 2017 in La Mesa on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of loaded firearms. He was first charged with murder in Oct., 2017.
Vasquez and Castrellon went to a store to buy some items for a barbecue, but both men were stabbed outside the store, said a National City Police officer.
