BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 A Kern County jury has sentenced Christopher Tovar to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the first-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend in Bakersfield.<\/p>\n
Tovar was found guilty of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of firing from a vehicle in the October 4, 2024, shooting death of Rudy Herrera. Herrera had recently started dating Tovar’s ex-girlfriend.<\/p>\n
On the day of the shooting, Tovar asked Lacey Guerra to help him find Herrera. The two tracked down Herrera to a friend’s house on Panama Street in Bakersfield.<\/p>\n
Tovar fired two shots from the passenger seat at Herrera, who was standing in the front yard. Both shots missed as Herrera ran to the back of the house.<\/p>\n
Three minutes later, Tovar returned and fired two more shots. This time both bullets hit Herrera. One struck his heart and another hit his pelvis.<\/p>\n
Herrera died at the scene despite medical aid.<\/p>\n
Neighbors witnessed the shooting and provided police with a suspect name. Surveillance video showed a black Ford Edge fleeing the scene.<\/p>\n
Police identified Guerra as the driver and Tovar as the shooter.<\/p>\n
Sentencing is set for February 24.<\/p>\n
Co-defendant Lacey Guerra pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter and faces 11 years in prison.<\/p>\n
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.<\/p>\n
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