FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – In an end to a tragic story, 44-year-old Kevin King was sentenced to five years and four months in state prison by a Fresno County judge Friday morning. It’s after King was charged with multiple felonies, including involuntary manslaughter, for his role in the death of 51-year-old Victor Becerra.
On Jan. 2, 2023, King was cleaning an illegally owned gun in his apartment in Northwest Fresno, when the gun went off. The bullet traveled through a common wall, shared with Becerra before it hit the 51-year-old in the head and killed him.
Becerra was holding his 11-month-old granddaughter, also at home with his wife and two children, when the bullet struck him.
“It is not fair that he took his life away,” said Leticia Ramirez, Beccera’s wife at the sentencing.
A victim services advocate, reading for Becerra’s cousin, detailed the pain and traumatic experience felt that day.
“A loving grandfather fatally wounded while cradling his grandchild,” read Victim Services Advocate Melinda Taylor. “The image of Victor dropping his granddaughter as he was shot is one that haunts us all.”