Defendant  in Stanislaus County fatal bar shooting eight years ago found guilty of murder

An Empire man was found guilty last week by a jury for a murder committed nearly eight years ago in Ceres, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Rigoberto Cisneros, 45, shot and killed Luis Malagon, 27, at Latinos Bar in Ceres on Aug. 13, 2016. Cisneros’ case was delayed for years over arguments regarding his mental competency to stand trial.

The DA’s Office stated Cisneros killed Malagon because he was furious that a woman decided to talk to Malagon instead of him.

Cisneros, armed with a gun, stood up from his bar stool and shot Malagon multiple times in the back before shooting at the bartender. Cisneros fled the scene.

A few days later, detectives with the Ceres Police Department found Cisneros at the Apex Inn Motel , just east of El Vista Avenue/Mitchell Road. When he was arrested, he still had the murder weapon in his possession.

The DA’s Office had to drop and refile charges against Cisneros after a two-year time limit to restore him to competency. This process is done when a person is initially found incompetent to stand trial but through evaluation or rehabilitation is “returned” to a mental state in which he can stand trial.

During this process, Cisneros was hospitalized, according to the DA’s Office.

A doctor found Cisneros competent to stand trial, but his defense contested this. A judge made final determination in 2023 that Cisneros was fit to stand trial, which began in September.

Cisneros was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a gun.

He faces life in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 1 at the Stanislaus County Superior Courthouse.