BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — A man who attacked and killed a 54-year-old Superior Grocer employee, Juan Carlos Urvina, in January 2023, was convicted last week of voluntary manslaughter and related charges, announced the Kern County District Attorney’s Office.
On July 11, 2025, Demetrius Ford was found guilty by a Kern County jury of voluntary manslaughter, assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury, and involuntary manslaughter. Several circumstances in aggravation were also found true.
In the late hours of January 1, 2023, Ford and his friend went to the Superior Grocer on Union Avenue to get more drinks for a party they were attending. After realizing the store was closed, Ford backed his vehicle into the parked truck of an employee, who was sitting inside his truck waiting for his midnight shift to begin.
After a short verbal exchange, Ford started to walk back to his vehicle, and the employee used his phone to take a picture of Ford and his vehicle, said prosecutors. Ford then became angry, approached, and began hitting the employee who took his picture…