Man convicted of killing stranded motorist apologizes to mom, says he’ll appeal

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Jose Luis Barraza offered a stranded man a ride. Then he stabbed him and stole his car, leaving his body in a rural area outside Arvin.

On Wednesday, Barraza, 30, apologized to his mother “for what she’s going through.”

He made no mention of the man he killed.

Barraza said he’ll appeal his conviction and told the court he hopes to be released while his mother’s still alive. A woman in the courtroom wept while he spoke.

In going over Barraza’s numerous prior convictions — seven felonies and six misdemeanors — Judge John W. Lua said “it does not appear to the court that the defendant has learned any lessons.”

He sentenced Barraza to the maximum term — 50 years to life in prison, plus six years — for killing Merlin Rodriguez. A jury last month convicted Barraza of first-degree murder and robbery.

Rodriguez and his brother, of the Bay Area, ran out of gas and money while driving through Arvin in July 2022. They were stuck for days, waiting on a Western Union transfer from family.

Barraza, who’d noticed the brothers hanging around, offered to help. He took them around Arvin and they collected a few dollars.

Later, he offered to drive Rodriguez’s BMW to Bakersfield to get more money. Rodriguez accepted and went with him. His brother stayed behind.

After driving to a rural area, Barraza stabbed Rodriguez, who sat in the front passenger seat. He stopped, pulled Rodriguez from the vehicle, then drove away.

Barraza sold the sedan for $500. He had Rodriguez’s cellphone on him when taken into custody days later on an unrelated case. His DNA was found on Rodriguez’s left hand.

In 2020, Barraza committed a carjacking using a similar method — he stabbed a man in the chest then stole his vehicle. The victim in that case survived.

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