Spring Valley
The third man who took part in a Spring Valley supermarket robbery that led to the death of a sheriff’s cadet was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison Monday by a Superior Court judge.
Prentice Byrd, 20, of San Diego showed no reaction when Superior Court Judge Wayne L. Peterson passed sentence for the Jan. 13, 1986, murder of Deputy Sheriff Trainee Kelly Ann Bazer.
Bazer, 28, of El Cajon had been a trainee for one month when she was killed by robbers fleeing from the Safeway supermarket on Sweetwater Road.
Bazer was shot in the back and killed minutes after the robbery when she refused to hand over her car keys to two fleeing gunmen, Jessie Lee Stuart, 20, and Ronnie Davis Williams, 21, both of San Diego.
Under a sentencing agreement, Byrd will serve five years in the California Youth Authority and the rest of his sentence in state prison, authorities said.
Byrd pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Feb. 10.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
