A Santa Barbara County judge on Wednesday sentenced a Santa Maria gang member to 50 years to life in prison for murder.
On May 16, 2021, at about 2 a.m., Alfredo Alaniz shot and killed Mario Merino Gonzalez, 19, on North Lincoln Street in Santa Maria. Alaniz shot Gonzalez 16 times, 15 of which were in the back, according to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.
The fatal shooting occurred amid an argument between Alaniz and Gonzalez, according to the Santa Maria Police Department…