A state appeals court panel today upheld a Carson man’s conviction for a murder that was caught on surveillance video on Terminal Island just over eight years ago.
The three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected the defense’s contention that there was insufficient evidence that Bryan Gallegos acted with premeditation and deliberation and that his first-degree murder conviction should be reversed or reduced to second-degree murder for the Sept. 4, 2016, shooting death of Armando Amaya Jr., 21, of San Pedro.
The panel found that “substantial evidence indicated defendant acted with jealous motive” in killing Amaya, who had briefly dated Gallegos’ ex-girlfriend and was riding in a vehicle with her before Gallegos told him to get out of the car.
The appellate court justices noted that there was ample evidence Gallegos had taken a gun to a Long Beach business, trailed his ex-girlfriend’s car at close range and had a long-standing jealousy of his former girlfriend’s male companions.