The gunman who shot a South Bay man seven times in 2006 in Bonita has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while five other co-defendants have pleaded guilty to lesser charges,
Luis Calet Niebla, 25, was the last of six men to plead guilty in the murder case of Porfirio “Noe” Lopez, 29, who was shot to death by Niebla on Nov. 25, 2006, near the parking lot of the Winners Circle horse stables at 3017 Equitation Lane at 3:30 p.m. in Bonita.
Besides manslaughter, Niebla pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, residential burglary, and two counts of making criminal threats to the men he was with that night.
Niebla has agreed to a “stipulated sentence” of 26 years in prison, said Deputy District Attorney Chris Lindberg. San Diego Superior Court Judge Robert O’Neill set sentencing for Nov. 19. Niebla remains in the George Bailey Detention Facility without bail.
The men had gathered with the victim to try and figure out who took 27 pounds of marijuana and $10,000 in cash from Luis Bello, 23, of Chula Vista, according to testimony in the preliminary hearing.
Bello suspected Lopez of the theft, but he started to say the theft was committed by Niebla.
Niebla pulled out a gun and shot Lopez seven times in the torso and head to the shock of everyone present. The men all left the scene quickly. Paramedics, sheriff’s deputies and National City Police arrived and rushed Lopez to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Lopez had possession of a cell phone with calls made to and from Bello.
Lopez and his girlfriend were shopping at the Plaza Bonita mall that day when Bello and others picked him up, according to testimony. The investigation went on for several years, and charges were filed in April, 2008, against Niebla, Bello, and four others.
Bello also pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, false imprisonment, transportation and possession of marijuana for sale. He has agreed to accept a prison term of eight years and four months, said Lindberg. He will also be sentenced on Nov. 19, and remains in the central jail without bail.
Murder charges were dropped against the remaining four men, but they all pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Allan Ramirez Constantino, 23, Christian Ramirez Constantino, 26, and Raymundo Meza, 23, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit assault and will be sentenced later in November. The Constantino brothers and Meza could receive a sentence ranging from probation to four years in prison.
Ramon Anthony Hernandez, 22, of Nestor, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess marijuana, and all other charges were dropped.
Hernandez is expected to receive probation, according to court records.
The Constantino brothers, Meza, and Hernandez remain free on bond.
