BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A former Dollar Tree employee who pleaded no contest to fatally stabbing a shoplifter was sentenced Wednesday at a hearing in which the victim’s family decried his plea deal and called him a murderer.
Dylan Matthew Franco, 22, received a four-year prison term. His sentencing took place in front of dozens of people, some there for him, others for Aaron Delgado, 36, the man he killed.
Originally charged with murder, Franco pleaded no contest last month to involuntary manslaughter.
Prosecutors have said a substantial factor in resolving the case was Delgado’s being armed with a knife when Franco confronted him outside the Columbus Street store.
RELATED: Fatal knife fight between clerk and shoplifter raises questions about poverty, hunger and frustration with petty crime Autumn Paine, Franco’s public defender, has said her client acted in self-defense but decided to plead no contest instead of risking the possibility of a 26-years-to-life sentence if convicted at trial.
On Wednesday, several family members of Delgado told the court their loved one had his struggles — like Franco, he had a criminal record — but didn’t deserve to die over $10 worth of stolen food.
Vicki Garcia, Delgado’s first cousin, said she understands the community’s frustration with rampant shoplifting.
“But death?” she asked, saying that’s the punishment Franco gave her brother. “How do those two things go together?”
Franco had time to hide his bloody clothing in a nearby store, Garcia said, but didn’t call 911 or otherwise help Delgado after he collapsed.
Selina Anderson, Delgado’s older sister, referred to Franco as “this murderer” throughout her lengthy statement.
“This murderer intentionally killed a man over food,” she said, speaking through tears. “This murderer killed a father over something that could have been handled by police officers.”
Anderson said she cried for days after Delgado’s death, and his wife and five children continue to suffer.
Franco should have let him leave, she said.
“He carried a knife to work,” Anderson said. “He created the confrontation, and he intentionally stabbed to death and killed a man.”
Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage Footage taken inside the Dollar Tree captured Delgado grabbing items the evening of Feb. 21 then running out a back door. Franco ran out the front door and chased him after an alarm sounded.
Video obtained from another camera captured Franco confronting Delgado on the south side of the building where “an apparent struggle ensued,” court filings say.
The footage shows Franco running away. Delgado briefly chases him before walking into a nearby lot, where he collapses. He was declared dead at the scene.
Those images will never leave her, Anderson told the court.
Garcia said she’s working to get a handle on her emotions. She can deal with sadness but is at a loss when it comes to the anger she feels over Franco’s actions.
“What the hell do I do with the anger?” she asked.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
Local News
