A California ex-con was found guilty of murder for fatally shooting an innocent woman in a beef over a stolen motorcycle in Kern County.
Luis Villachana, 51, of Kern County, faces life in prison for opening fire on Ruth Ann Cummings, 44, in her car in 2024 as she arrived at a home in Oildale where the Villachana had threatened to kill her husband and daughter.
“I’m gonna smoke all you guys,” Villachana said before pulling the trigger, according to court papers.
The drama began on the morning of August 29, 2024, when a motorcycle belonging to Villachana was stolen from his residence, prosecutors said. Instead of going to cops, the convicted felon recruited some muscle to help him track down the stolen bike.
A search led Villachana and two sidekicks to a house in Oildale, where Villachana found the motorcycle in the garage.
Villachana then went inside the house and asked a roommate who lived there who stole his bike. When the roommate didn’t answer, Villachana assaulted him, prosecutors said.
Another roommate was contacted and spoke with his parents.
The father of the second roommate arrived at the scene and tried to calm the situation but ended up assaulting Villachana after the gunman shot at the man’s feet, according to prosecutors.
As the man ran from the house, Villachana fired again, striking and injuring him, before opening fire on an SUV driven by Cummings, who had come to rescue her husband, prosecutors said.
Cummings was struck by the gunfire and later died from her wounds.
“Villachana’s actions were avoidable and entirely unjustified,” said Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer.
Villachana was arrested in Shafter a little more than a week after the deadly confrontation.
He was convicted Friday of a slew of crimes including first-degree murder, burglary, and attempted murder. He faces up to 50 years to life in prison, plus 24 years and 4 months, at a sentencing set for Aug. 14.
