A deadly 2022 shooting on Berkeley’s Telegraph Avenue reached a painful milestone on Feb. 5, as two men were sentenced for their roles in the attack that killed one man and wounded three others. In a courtroom still thick with grief, relatives called the loss irreparable while the judge signed off on plea deals that finally closed a long-running case.
According to Alameda County court records reported by The Mercury News, Andy Gutierrez‑Rebollo received a 14-year state prison sentence for manslaughter, and Michael Monrroy‑Ramos was ordered to serve eight years after both men pleaded to reduced charges. The sentences came after a victim-impact statement from the victim’s sister was read in court, a moment the judge formally acknowledged from the bench before imposing the terms.
As detailed in testimony and reporting by The Berkeley Scanner, the shooting erupted shortly after 1 AM on Oct. 8, 2022, on the 2300 block of Telegraph Avenue near Durant. Two men allegedly approached and provoked a group that included Isamaeli "Eli" Mata'afa, then opened fire, with investigators later counting more than a dozen shots. A bullet that entered Mata'afa’s lower back was identified as the fatal wound, but witnesses and video footage did not establish which man pulled the trigger on that round.
Court records and next steps
Prosecutors told reporters they could not determine which defendant fired the shot that killed Mata'afa, and the uncertainty helped drive a plea agreement that reduced murder charges to manslaughter and firearm offenses, according to The Mercury News. Coverage citing court and jail records notes that Michael Monrroy‑Ramos was transferred to state prison on Feb. 26, 2026, and Gutierrez‑Rebollo followed on March 19, 2026. A third defendant, Jessyca Monrroy, is still scheduled to appear in court on April 2, 2026, on related weapons charges.
Family and community
In Berkeley, the Pacific School of Religion has established the Isamaeli Mata'afa Community Garden in his memory, and attorneys are set to return to court in June to address restitution, according to The Berkeley Scanner.
