VENTURA, California – A 16-year-old juvenile male, of Oxnard, admitted to robbery and voluntary manslaughter for the May 20, 2018, killing of Adrian Ornelas, also of Oxnard. The male was prosecuted as a juvenile.
In the early morning hours of May 20, 2018, Mr. Ornelas was stabbed multiple times in the area of Bard Road and Anchorage Street in Oxnard.
The juvenile was originally charged under a theory of felony murder for his role with another minor in the robbery and killing of Mr. Ornelas. In 2018, Senate Bill 1437 was passed. This law limited application of the felony-murder rule to accomplices. As a result of the change in the law, the juvenile’s charge of murder was reduced to voluntary manslaughter.
The juvenile remains detained and will be sentenced on September 11, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. in courtroom J3 of the Juvenile Justice Center. He is facing a maximum sentence of 13 years 6 months based upon the charges. However, because he was prosecuted as a juvenile, he can only remain in custody until he is 25 years old.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is the public prosecutor for the county’s 850,000 residents. The office employs approximately 280 employees including attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, and other professional support staff who strive to seek justice, ensure public safety, and protect the rights of crime victims.
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