BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A Bakersfield man who was initially sentenced to 16 years to life for fatally stabbing his 70-year-old grandmother in the head was resentenced to 12 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter on Thursday, according to Kern County court records.
Juan Andres Valdez, 34, was convicted of murder in March 2024 for the killing of 70-year-old Maria Magdalena Valdez. Court records show he pleaded not guilty both times.
Court records show Valdez’s initial conviction was reversed in November 2025 after legal paperwork was filed that caused the court to close the case. The exact reason was not available on the court website.
The case stems from a July 13, 2023, attack in the area of Flower and Tulare streets. According to court documents, Valdez stabbed his grandmother twice in the head, once near her left temple and by her left ear…