O.C. man guilty of killing sex offender who was a neighbor
An Orange County man was convicted Thursday of fatally stabbing a sex offender who lived in his San Juan Capistrano mobile home park -- nearly decapitating the man -- and then assaulting another person two days later, prosecutors said.
Robert Eugene Vasquez, 36, was found guilty by a jury of one felony count of special circumstances murder and one felony count of aggravated assault, according to a statement from the Orange County district attorney’s office.
Vasquez, who is set to be sentenced in August, faces a penalty of life in state prison without the possibility of parole, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said that on the morning of Dec. 1, 2011, Vasquez waited outside the home of his neighbor, Bobby Ray Rainwater Jr., with the intent to kill him because Rainwater was a registered sex offender.
When Rainwater left his home, Vasquez punched him in the back of the head, then stabbed him multiple times, nearly severing his head.
Two days later, Vasquez was at a friend’s home when he attacked another man, Lance Lyons, prosecutor said.
He used a metal object to hit Lyons in the face as he lay down. He attempted to hit him again, but was stopped by Lyons’ brother. Lyons had major injuries to his nose and mouth.
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Twitter: @rar
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