SANTA ANA -- An Orange County man was convicted Tuesday of plotting the 1999 murders of his parents so he could steal their money and go to a strip club.
Jose Alonso Najera Jr. of Garden Grove, 29, was convicted of one count of first-degree murder in the death of his father, Jose Najera Sr., 42, and one count of second-degree murder in the death of his mother, Elena Najera, 46.
Prosecutors say Najera and his high school friend, Gerald Thomas Johnson of Villa Park, wanted to get their hands on $18,000, money his parents withdrew from the bank because of Y2K worries. He then spent most of the money during visits to a Santa Ana strip club, according to attorneys.
Prosecutors say that on the night of the murder, Najera left a window open in his home so Johnson could sneak in and kill the Narjeras by repeatedly stabbing them.
Johnson was arrested for the murders a few weeks later after DNA on a ski mask left at the scene tied him to the crimes. He was convicted in 2002 and sentenced to life without parole. During his trial, his attorney argued Najera was the killer.
In 2008, prosecutors filed charges against Najera, accusing him of being the mastermind.
Defense attorneys had argued that Najera was a "overweight, dorky kid" who was ridiculed by his classmates. He admitted that he stole money from his parents, but said that he did not murder them.
Sentencing for Najera is scheduled for June 28.
Jose Alonso Najera Jr. of Garden Grove, 29, was convicted of one count of first-degree murder in the death of his father, Jose Najera Sr., 42, and one count of second-degree murder in the death of his mother, Elena Najera, 46.
Prosecutors say Najera and his high school friend, Gerald Thomas Johnson of Villa Park, wanted to get their hands on $18,000, money his parents withdrew from the bank because of Y2K worries. He then spent most of the money during visits to a Santa Ana strip club, according to attorneys.
Prosecutors say that on the night of the murder, Najera left a window open in his home so Johnson could sneak in and kill the Narjeras by repeatedly stabbing them.
Johnson was arrested for the murders a few weeks later after DNA on a ski mask left at the scene tied him to the crimes. He was convicted in 2002 and sentenced to life without parole. During his trial, his attorney argued Najera was the killer.
In 2008, prosecutors filed charges against Najera, accusing him of being the mastermind.
Defense attorneys had argued that Najera was a "overweight, dorky kid" who was ridiculed by his classmates. He admitted that he stole money from his parents, but said that he did not murder them.
Sentencing for Najera is scheduled for June 28.
