Visalia man sentenced after shooting and killing an unhoused man in a wheelchair in 2023
Carlos Manuel Ayala will spend at least 25 years in prison after admitting to killing an unhoused man in a wheelchair back in 2023.
The 32-year-old took a plea deal on Tuesday inside a Tulare County courtroom where cameras were not allowed.
"Mr. Ayala was sentenced to second degree murder, as well as a special allegation for using a gun during the commission of the murder, he was sentenced to 15 years to life plus 10 which is essentially 25 years to life," explains Jessica Weatherly, a prosecutor with the Tulare County District Attorney's Office.
Investigators say Ayala shot the victim, Joe, multiple times after repeated confrontations with Ayala and his mother at a convenience store next to their home.
"Specifically over the fact that he was unhoused and often would frequent the area of the convenience store which is right next to their residence," mentions Weatherly, also expressing there was no need for such a violent crime to happen.
"Especially just based on what appears to be his status in life based on the fact that he was unhoused and in a wheelchair at that store. It's devastating and hard to explain," Weatherly continues, "You really don't understand why. Joe was in a wheelchair, Joe was acting peacefully to people at the store in that area at the time when he came upon the defendant again."
Prosecutors say Joe appeared to be well-liked by store employees.
His mother was too devastated to show up to court.
Weatherly explains, "She has actually severed the loss of not only one child but two and so this case really was hard for her to not only process and understand why a violent act was committed against her son, but also part of the grieving process."
Ayala will be eligible for parole in about 34 years, after serving 85% of his sentence, with the final decision up to the parole board.
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