San Diego, Calif. — A man was sentenced to 19 years to life in state prison on Friday after being convicted of the second-degree murder of his neighbor. Eugene Martinez, 52, faced charges related to the November 2022 shooting death of Anthony Haro, 33, in the Chollas View neighborhood.
The fatal incident occurred during the early hours of November 14, when San Diego police responded to a report on the 700 block of 44th Street. Officers discovered Haro with a gunshot wound to his chest; paramedics transported him to Scripps Mercy Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
According to authorities, the shooting stemmed from an argument between Martinez and Haro over noise disturbances. San Diego Police Lt. Steve Shebloski reported that during the confrontation, Martinez fired a handgun at Haro.
Martinez was apprehended later that same day in neighboring Clairemont. In court, the defense presented a different narrative, asserting that Martinez acted in self-defense. Attorney Jeremy Fredrickson-Aguilar claimed that on the day of the shooting, Haro and his brother had attacked Martinez, allegedly beating him severely enough to render him unconscious.
Fredrickson-Aguilar characterized Martinez as having been pushed to his limits, stating that he “snapped” in a moment of desperation to save himself. However, the jury ultimately found him guilty, rejecting the claims of self-defense.
Prosecutors presented a case focused on the seriousness of the altercation, emphasizing the need for accountability in violent encounters. The conviction marks a pivotal moment in a case that has drawn attention to issues of neighborhood disputes escalating into tragedy.
As Martinez begins his sentence, the community is left grappling with the consequences of violence and the underlying tensions that can arise between neighbors.