16 February 2022 :
Tulare County jury recommended death sentence for Noel Herrera, 32, Hispanic.
Herrera is a known Visalia gang member, who was responsible for multiple murders from 2010 to 2017.
Officials say Herrera's first murder happened on January 9, 2010, when a 26-year-old man was killed.
The second happened on April 24, 2014, when officials say Herrera shot and killed a 25-year-old man in a drive-by shooting.
On February 15, 2017, Herrera was involved in a drive-by shooting but no one was hurt. Officials say three days later, he shot and killed a a 20-year-old man.
Shortly after the third homicide, Herrera was pulled over and police found a gun that connected him to the shooting on February 15, 2017.Herrera was found guilty of 3 counts of premeditated 1st-degree murder.
Herrera’s case had to be split into 2 separate phases, according to the DA’s office, because of a law put into effect in late 2021. The law splits criminal gang allegations from other crimes, so prosecutors need to prove gang affiliation separately from proving a crime was committed.
The formal sentencing is scheduled for March 15, 2022, in Superior Court.
https://abc30.com/visalia-gang-member-crimes/11567990/
