VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) - Aaron Jabezz Holmes of Oxnard was sentenced to 54 years to life for the 2015 murder of Angel Diaz and for the assault of another person Monday.

Holmes previously pled no contest to his charge of murder in the first degree on Sep. 24, 2025, and he admitted to several special allegations an aggravating factors including that he had a prior strike stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release Tuesday.

During his sentencing hearing, Holmes' prior strike conviction for robbery was struck over the objection of prosecutors noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Removing the prior conviction reduced the amount of time Holmes will be required to serve before becoming eligible for parole. The 30-year-old will now be eligible for parole around the age of 44 instead of around the age of 60 explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Youthful offender parole is extended to people convicted in California under the age of 26 and allows for early parole consideration based on perceived immaturity of decision making added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

"The court’s decision to strike the prior strike over our objection significantly altered the practical
effect of this sentence by accelerating parole eligibility," said Senior Deputy District Attorney Theresa Pollara who prosecuted the case.

On April 30, 2015, 19-year-old Holmes joined two adults and two minors in a violent crime spree during which Holmes identified an individual he saw as, "an enemy", demanded the driver stop the vehicle, and then fired a gun at the person who fled the area on a bicycle detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

The fleeing bicyclist was hit in the foot noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Later the same evening, Holmes and a minor exited the vehicle and robbed a group of teenagers practicing a dance routine in a parking lot at gunpoint shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Holmes was attempting to commit another robbery when he spotted Angel Diaz sitting in his truck outside a donut shop on Rose Avenue in Oxnard.

Diaz had just finished a late shift and was eating his dinner in his truck so he didn't wake his family after coming home when Holmes tapped on the driver side window with a loaded firearm shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Diaz attempted to escape by shifting his truck into drive, but Holmes fired through the window, killing Diaz and the truck rolled forward and into the donut shop stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Holmes and the others fled the scene before the arrival of police, but he was later arrested in connection with the murder in September of 2016.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Holmes committed several felonies while incarcerated including the assault of two deputies and conspiring with a family member to smuggle methamphetamine while being transported for medical treatment.

Holmes pled guilty and was sentenced to three years on each of those separate cases added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

The post Aaron Jabezz Holmes sentenced to 54 years for the 2015 murder of Angel Di

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) Renters and landlords packed the first Santa Barbara City Council meeting of the year.

Many of them filled out public comment slips to weigh in on tenant protections.

The council heard a couple of hours of comments in the afternoon and then invited more at 5 p.m., when many people get off work.

At issue is whether the city council will consider a rent increase moratorium or freeze before they vote on a rent stabilization ordinance later in the year.

In addition to a temporary rent increase moratorium the council is being asked to consider a Just Cause Eviction Ordinance.

In the summer of 2026, the council plans to consider a permanent rent stabilization program that the city staff has been tasked with working on during the year.

The issue was discussed and debated during a December 16, 2025, meeting following a staff presentation.

The arguments for and against included concerns over council members who are renters.

Former Santa Barbara County Supervisor Mike Stoker spoke on behalf of the nonprofit Santa Barbara Taxpayers Advocacy Center.

"We have 3 city council members that are renters, they are going to benefit by this vote, they are going to benefit by the freeze and I guarantee if it was the other way around if you had three landlords on the council a community like this would go crazy if those landlords participated in that kind of vote, " said Stoker, " and I don't think it is right."

When a speakers asked the council if any of them owned rental property, none of them raised their hands.

Emily Pelstring, who lives in a studio with her partner her is finishing a physics doctorate at UCSB, said she came after work to speak in favor of a moratorium.

"When you are paying into rent it is not going into any investment," said Pelstring, " and property values in Santa Barbara always continue to go up, you are sinking away a good portion of your money to live an area where you work."

The agenda's first recommendation includes the introduction and adoption of an emergency ordinance that would establish a temporary rent increase moratorium during the preparation, consideration and potential adoption of a permanent rent stabilization program.

The second item includes the adoption of an amendment to the Santa Barbara Municipal Code relating to additional requirements for Just Cause Evictions for the purpose of removing rental units from the market

Speakers filled the overflow room before 5 p.m.

Mayor Randy Rowse said they had 3 hours worth of comments to get through.

The meeting is likely to go late.

To watch the meeting live visit https://santabarbaraca.gov

Your News Channel will have reaction to the any vote that is taken or tabled tonight on the news.

The post Santa Barbara City Council to Consider Temporary Rent Increase Moratorium appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

CNN, POOL, FAMILY PHOTOS , WUSA, FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT, WJLA, FAMILY PHOTOS / WUSA

By Lauren del Valle, CNN

(CNN) — The au pair who was having an affair with Brendan Banfield when he allegedly killed his wife and another man in February 2023 told jurors Tuesday about the killings – and the elaborate scheme she said she helped execute.

Prosecutors have alleged that plot was hatched with the au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, who was initially charged with murder in the case in October 2023. She has since pleaded guilty to a lesser count of involuntary manslaughter for fatally shooting Joseph Ryan, one of the victims.

The au pair agreed to cooperate with prosecutors against Banfield in exchange for a recommendation that she be sentenced to time served, according to the plea agreement.

Peres Magalhães described Tuesday – the first day of testimony in the double-murder trial – how the killings of Christine Banfield and Ryan unfolded after months of preparation that she said involved luring Ryan to the scene so he could be framed for Christine’s death.

The Virginia family’s Brazilian au pair said she saw Banfield stab his wife repeatedly – and described how she shot Ryan with a gun Banfield taught her to use.

“When I first saw that happening, I ran to the other side of the bed, and I was just crouching down … and covering my ears and covering my eyes,” Peres Magalhães said. “And a few times I looked and I was able to see him stabbing her.”

Banfield has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated murder, as well as using a firearm during the commission of a felony. He faces up to life in prison if convicted on the murder charges.

Au pair describes alleged scheme

Peres Magalhães first started living with the Banfields in October 2021, and an extra-marital affair with Brendan Banfield began in August 2022, she said. Banfield hatched his plan to kill his wife not long after the affair began, Peres Magalhães testified.

According to the au pair, Banfield thought his wife was a terrible mother and wanted to be with her instead. Banfield didn’t want to pay for a divorce or share custody on his young daughter, Peres Magalhães said.

Using his wife’s laptop while she was home, Peres Magalhães and Banfield created a fake email address and an account on a fetish website, where Banfield planned to find a man they could eventually frame for his wife’s murder, the au pair testified.

They were seeking someone who would carry out a violent rape fantasy, and the jury saw messages from the fetish website where Peres Magalhães said she and Banfield vetted possible candidates to fill the specific role. They found a few men open to the idea but ruled out candidates when they asked to meet in person first or have the sexual encounter somewhere other than Banfield’s home, Peres Magalhães said.

Eventually, they found Ryan, with whom Banfield spent a month cultivating a relationship, Peres

Luis Medina

BANNING, Calif. (KUNA) – Hoy aumentó la preocupación por el bienestar de una joven de 16 años que desapareció tras salir de su casa en Banning.

Juliet Ruiz fue vista por última vez alrededor de las 9:40 p. m. del sábado saliendo de los Apartamentos Peppertree, ubicados en 456 E. Nicolet St., según el Departamento de Policía de Banning.

Se desconocía su paradero el martes.

Ruiz mide aproximadamente mide 5 pies 2 pulgadas y pesa 100 libras y tiene cabello castaño. Vestía una chaqueta acolchada negra y pantalones negros.

Se solicita a cualquier persona que tenga información sobre su paradero que se comunique con el departamento al 951-922-3170.

The post Búsqueda en curso de adolescente desaparecida en Banning appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

Luis Medina

THERMAL, Calif. (KUNA) – Abogados anunciaron la presentación de varias demandas por acusaciones de exposición y lesiones a niños autistas con necesidades especiales en una escuela del Distrito Escolar Unificado del Valle de Coachella (CVUSD).

Según Oakwood Legal Group, se han presentado siete demandas en nombre de estudiantes autistas vulnerables que, según alegan, estuvieron “expuestos a sabiendas y por negligencia a condiciones peligrosas de moho negro en el campus”.

Telemundo 15 ha estado cubriendo el problema del moho en la Escuela Primaria John Kelley durante el último mes. Funcionarios del CVUSD informaron que el distrito y varias empresas externas que contrataron para garantizar la seguridad tras el hallazgo del moho, indicaron que los padres y estudiantes ya no deberían preocuparse por el problema.

El distrito confirmó previamente la presencia de moho en dos aulas; sin embargo, los funcionarios declararon que no se encontró moho negro en la escuela.

The post Padres presentarán varias demandas contra el Distrito Escolar Unificado del Valle de Coachella por exposición al moho negro appeared first on News Channel 3-12.