A Sacramento man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for a series of brutal attacks on the city's homeless population. Diego Flores was convicted on December 17, 2024, of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, arson, and firearm charges, according to an announcement from the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office.
Over a span of two weeks in March 2023, Flores engaged in a spree of violence that left two dead and two others severely injured. The Honorable Stephen Acquisto dealt out the sentence that included a special circumstance recognition of multiple murders and firearm use. The sequence of crimes began on March 16, 2023 when Flores shot a man twice, an individual who eventually survived. Four days later, in a woman’s trailer, Flores committed burglary followed by a death threat if she contacted law enforcement.
The day after the burglary, Sacramento Fire Department reported to the trailer, now ablaze, to discover the woman's body inside with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Furthermore, on the same day of the arson, Flores attempted another murder, shooting a man four times. This victim, like the one prior, survived against grim odds. The series of violent offenses concluded when, on March 31, 2023, authorities uncovered the last victim's body in a shallow grave at Haggin Oaks Golf Course.
All of Flores's victims were part of the city's homeless community, living in makeshift abodes such as tents and trailers. According to the District Attorney's Office, witnesses directly identified Flores as the assailant. The jury, after weighing the substantial evidence including the eyewitness testimonies, found the circumstances and the evidence presented against Flores undeniable, leading to his conviction.
Principal Criminal Attorney Frederick Gotha, who led the prosecution, cited the severity of the crimes and their impact on a vulnerable population as particularly egregious.
