A Chula Vista man and his friend both pleaded guilty Feb. 5 to second-degree murder of a man who was shot in the back during a robbery.
Homero Viscarra Palomino, 19, of Chula Vista, and Paul Julian Sosa III, 19, of San Diego, admitted their roles in the Sept. 19, 2014, shooting death of John Milton Francis, 38, of El Cajon.
They will be sentenced April 15 by El Cajon Superior Court Judge Dan Lamborn and remain in jail. Both pleaded guilty on the eve of jury selection. Two juries would have been sworn in for a three-week joint trial.
Deputy District Attorney Valerie Ryan said Sosa admitted to being the gunman and that he personally used a gun.
The personal use of a gun enhancement adds 10 years consecutively to the 15-years-to-life term.
Palomino will get 15 years to life in prison.
The sole item stolen from Francis was marijuana, and the defendants apparently did not know him previously, said Ryan.
El Cajon Police received a 911 call at 1:20 p.m. and found the victim dead in the 1400 block of Broadway.
They remain in separate jails on $2 million bail.
