Tragedy struck at Hillsboro's Kim's Red Rose when Isaura Soto-Gaona, the manager of the bar, was fatally shot after asking a patron and his group to leave the premises. The perpetrator, Sain Delgado Venegas, has pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced on Tuesday to life imprisonment with the possibility for parole after 25 years, as reported by KOIN.
According to the same source, Soto-Gaona had initially asked Venegas and three others to leave when they refused to provide identification. They left but returned within an hour, prompting Soto-Gaona to ask them again to leave. It was at this juncture that Venegas attempted to fire his gun twice, and despite a malfunction, managed to fatally wound Soto-Gaona. The Washington County District Attorney's Office stated that Venegas also received an additional 8-year sentence for possession of a weapon in a separate case.
During Venegas' time in the Washington County Jail awaiting trial, a makeshift weapon was found in his cell, adding a further charge of 'inmate with a weapon' to his list of offenses. The incident highlights continuities of violence that follow some individuals, despite their interactions with the justice system. Before the fateful shooting, Venegas had been recently released from prison and had even met with his parole officer just weeks before the incident, KPTV notes.
The conviction comes as a result of surveillance footage that captured the shooting and was able to conclusively link Venegas to the crime. "Surveillance cameras inside Kim’s Red Rose captured the shooting," authorities said, and Venegas was identified by matching his clothing with other surveillance footage at the courthouse, where he had visited his parole officer. This was corroborated by footage from the very courthouse which showed Venegas wearing the same distinctive sweatshirt, as described by the KGW report.
Despite immediate aid by the bar staff and officers, Soto-Gaona did not survive the injury.
