After over two decades since the 2004 slaying of Dennis Wood, a Moorpark businessman, justice has finally reached the doorstep of the orchestrator, Antoine Nehme, and his hitman, Alex Bracamonte. As reported by KTLA, Nehme, 73, from Victorville, has been condemned to a life term without the possibility of parole after a Ventura County jury found him guilty of murder, conspiracy to commit a crime, and solicitation of murder.
Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick has expressed his gratitude to the Ventura County Cold Case Unit, saying, "Without their diligence and dedication, this case never would have been solved." Discovered dead in his Moorpark home in 2004, having been shot twice in the head and once in the chest, Wood's case grew cold for several years. According to information shared by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, the wheels of justice began to turn when a suspect in an unrelated case, six years after the killing, hinted at Bracamonte's involvement, who then, later, in a 2023 confession, spilled 'details only the killer would know.'
Bracamonte, employed at Nehme's Ojai gas station, acted on Nehme's orders to murder Wood over an unpaid debt of $29,000 tied to a business venture. While Wood owned a prepaid phone card business and had previously conducted business with Nehme, he did not foresee that his loan to Nehme would cost his life. Nehme had decided it was preferable to erase the debt altogether instead of repaying it. As per the DA's office, this chilling fact underpinned the motive behind Wood's assassination. Bracamonte, who pleaded guilty earlier this month, faced his sentencing, receiving 15 years to life.
Barrick reiterated a sentiment that underlined the gravity of the crime, stating, "Dennis Wood was a good and honorable man who didn’t deserve to die the way he did." The Senior Deputy District Attorney further emphasized the closure brought to the family, grateful for the judgment that, after 21 long years, saw "his murderers finally brought to justice."
