Man who killed 3-year-old boy in gang-related shooting denied petition to be resentenced

A man who murdered a 3-year-old boy had a petition to be resentenced denied Thursday after a Kern County Superior Court judge ruled he wasn’t eligible under the law.

Tyrone Johnson was sentenced in October to 42 years, 8 months for shooting indiscriminately into a room with Major Sutton, Sutton’s pregnant mother and brother in November 2017. Sutton died immediately, while his mother and brother were struck by bullets.

Johnson sought to be resentenced under a law changing the definition of felony murder. Since 2019, felony murder doesn’t include a person who didn’t fire the kill shot. But Kern County Superior Court Judge Elizabet Rodriguez noted in court Thursday that Johnson was convicted of felony murder after the new law passed and therefore cannot be resentenced under it.

A defense attorney asked for Johnson to appear at a new date to start the appeals process. Johnson will be back March 15 for an attorney to be appointed to potentially file an appeal.

Johnson and David Palms — who was sentenced to 27 years in prison — cut a deal after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter and attempted murder charges. Myeisha Dale, who prosecutors said acted as the getaway driver, died while in custody before her court proceedings could begin.

The Bakersfield Police Department arrested a

suspect Monday night in the shooting of a man on Stockdale Highway in February.

Matthew Martinez, 37, was arrested without incident at about 9:24 p.m. in the 600 block of Taylor Street. Martinez was booked on suspicion of first-degree murder, having a gun and ammunition by a felon, BPD reported.

The victim, who hasn’t been identified by the Kern County coroner’s office, died Feb. 23 after suffering a single gunshot wound.

Police aren’t searching for another suspect in this incident, a BPD news release said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Danni Melendez at 661-3263919, the BPD at 661-3277111 or Kern Secret Witness at 661-322-4040.

A 18-year-old man died Tuesday afternoon in

Lamont after he was shot multiple times, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies went to the 7200 block of Di Giorgio Road around 4:47 p.m. after getting reports of a shooting. Ricardo Pineda, of Lamont, was found dead at the scene, a news release said. He died at 5:29 p.m. after getting shot at 4:49 p.m., the coroner said.

A homicide investigation is ongoing. Anyone who has information about what happened is asked to call KCSO at 661-861-3110 or the Secret Witness line at 661-322-4040.

Two Bakersfield men were arrested Wednesday after

the suspects reportedly stole a car while burglarizing a business and evaded police during a car chase, the Bakersfield Police Department said.

Officers were called to the 4600 block of New Horizon Boulevard to stop a burglary when suspects hopped into a stolen car and drove away, a news release said. The vehicle was found in the area of Hosking Road and Wolfpack

Drive but it didn’t stop when approached by officers and a car chase began, a news release added.

The car chase ended in the area of Herring and Ashe roads, with the suspects attempting to run away, police wrote.

Raul Cerda, 30 and

Stephen Ingle, 38, were both arrested. Cerda was booked into jail on suspicion of nine felonies, including second-degree burglary, stealing a car, having a firearm as a felon and reckless driving. Cerda wasn’t in custody as of 12:50 p.m. Wednesday.