Man Gets 20 Years in Slaying of Girlfriend

Saying he already got a “gift” from the jury, a judge sentenced a Canoga Park man to the maximum 20 years to life behind bars Tuesday for the slaying of his girlfriend on her 19th birthday.

San Fernando Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen sentenced Patrick S. Freire, 25, to the maximum term for second-degree murder and the use of a gun after jurors earlier rejected first-degree murder charges.

Freire will not be eligible for parole for at least 15 years, authorities said.

“The jury gave the defendant a gift. This is a first-degree murder,” Coen told the defendant, who showed no emotion during the brief proceeding other than the appearance of a smirk as he was led out of the courtroom.

Freire, a known gang member, was convicted last month of shooting his girlfriend, Holly Montgomery of Agoura, with a .357 magnum outside his home in the De Soto Gardens apartments Dec. 12, 1991.

It was his third trial; his first conviction was overturned by an appellate court due to a change in state law and a second trial ended in a hung jury.

“The sentence was appropriate in that he was sentenced to the maximum available under the current charges,” said San Fernando Deputy Dist. Atty. John Nantroup Jr.

“He has exhibited absolutely no remorse during these proceedings,” Nantroup said. “The manner in which he killed Holly Montgomery and the way he manipulated the family and police prior to his arrest shows he has nothing but contempt for human emotion and compassion.”

According to the testimony at the three-week trial, Freire got into “a minor argument” with his girlfriend after they returned to his apartment with friends following a birthday party celebration.

Montgomery was getting ready to leave at about 11 p.m. when the defendant, witnesses said, pulled open the driver’s side door and began to choke her.

With the victim crying, Freire then pulled out a .357 magnum revolver, cocked it and put it to her head. After telling her he would shoot, he pulled the trigger.

In testimony, a Los Angeles County medical examiner said gases from the discharged weapon were forced into the entry wound from the gunshot and fractured Montgomery’s skull. She died on the way to the hospital, attempts to save her having failed.

Although there were witnesses to the crime, Nantroup said, no one came forward immediately because of fear of retaliation.

“From the moment it happened, he attempted to portray himself as the grieving boyfriend and claimed that others had shot her,” Nantroup said.

“He was a pallbearer at her funeral and placed items into her casket, including a ring she apparently returned to him,” Nantroup said. “He also went to Christmas dinner at the victim’s family’s home and told them he would get the people responsible for his girlfriend’s death.”

Perhaps worst of all, the prosecutor said, within minutes of the shooting, as Montgomery lay dying, Freire “looked her in the eye and yelled ‘They shot my baby, They shot my baby.’ ”

Defense attorney Dale K. Galipo had no comment on the case Tuesday. Meanwhile, the victim’s father, Craig Montgomery, said his family has been devastated by the loss of his middle daughter.

“There’s almost no way to put it into words the frustration, the anger and the hatred,” he said, referring to the repeated trials.

“I know the system is supposed to be fair but I can’t see the compassion for the victim. We thought we had been through enough the first time.”