SAN JOSE — A man on trial for shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend — who had a protective order against him — and opening fire at her new boyfriend and friends in a 2022 ambush outside a San Jose beauty salon has been found guilty of murder and other violent crimes.
Jose Rosas, 40, was found guilty of murder and other violent crimes in an ambush shooting on Sept. 1, 2022 that killed 27-year-old Susana Hernandez Paulino, who had a protective order against him. (San Jose Police Dept.)
Jose Alfredo Rojas, 40, of San Jose, was convicted by a jury Wednesday of one count each of murder and attempted murder, four counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and one count of carjacking in the deadly sequence that ended with the death of 27-year-old Susana Hernandez Paulino.
He remains in the Santa Clara County Main Jail, where he has been held since shortly after the Sept. 1, 2022 attack when he was arrested on the verge of crossing the Mexican border. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 24.
For the murder and attempted murder convictions, which each carry a sentencing enhancement for using a gun, Rosas faces up to 82 years to life in prison.
He could also face an additional 19 years and four months for the assault and carjacking convictions, though Judge Audra Ibarra has wide discretion on whether each sentence is stacked or set to run concurrently with the others. Rosas also has a pending misdemeanor battery case for an alleged 2024 fight in jail custody.
“I’m grateful for the attention and time the jury gave to this case, and I’m happy that we can achieve some measure of justice for Susana Hernandez Paulino and the surviving victims of this case,” Deputy District Attorney Sara Dabkowski said after the verdict.
Rojas was facing domestic violence assault charges involving Hernandez on the night of the crime, when police say he approached her and her companions — allegedly in bare feet, to avoid being heard — while the group was outdoors in the parking lot of a beauty salon, where Hernandez had worked, on East William Street near McLaughlin Avenue.
Surveillance cameras partially captured the encounter, which shows Rosas driving to the site and yelling, “I’m going to kill you two dogs” toward Hernandez and her new boyfriend before shooting at the group.
As everyone ran for cover, police reported that Rosas chased Hernandez and shot her twice, then pistol-whipped and kicked her as she lay on the ground. As Rosas prepared to flee, he reportedly shot at Hernandez’s boyfriend — already wounded in the leg — and a friend while they took cover underneath a car, but the second round of gunfire did not hit anyone. Hernandez died at the scene.
Rosas reportedly traveled a mile to his home, where he confronted his friend and demanded his car. Police say that when the friend refused, Rosas punched him in the face, knocking out his tooth, and commandeered the car.
He drove nearly 500 miles overnight to San Ysidro, a district of San Diego located across from Tijuana, but was intercepted and arrested by California Highway Patrol officers, who were alerted to Rosas’ potential destination and stopped him about 100 yards from the border crossing.
Hernandez was described by friends at the time as a recent immigrant with two young children living in Mexico. Dabkowski alluded to how the victim was taking the right steps to leave an abusive situation when Rosas turned to more violence.
“I’m also grateful for the opportunity for Susana’s voice to finally be heard, though it is tragic she was only heard after her death. Her friends helped her get out of a hostile and dangerous situation, but defendant wouldn’t let her go,” she said. “This case is a testament to Susana and her bravery to speak up for herself and to leave, and a testament to her friends and family who supported her. We will continue to fight to get justice for victims of domestic violence, no matter who they are or where they’re from.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.