Manuel Espinoza appeared in Fresno County Superior Court, where he faced emotional statements from the family of Ismael Montes before learning his sentence.
"We want justice. Whatever you feel, judge that is obedient for this monster," said Lucy De la Cruz, Montes' sister-in-law.
The case stems from June 2022, when Fresno police found the 48-year-old Montes suffering from a stab wound to the upper neck in downtown Fresno. Although he was initially expected to survive, Montes died several days later at a hospital.
Investigators arrested Espinoza a week after the attack and believe the stabbing was connected to an affair.
"This monster took my brother-in-law away, my friend, the father of my nephews, my sister's husband," De la Cruz told the court.
Family members described the lasting impact of Montes' death, speaking about milestones he will never witness.
"He's never gonna get to know my nephews' wives, their kids, his grandkids," De la Cruz said.
Montes' son, Nathaniel, also addressed the court, describing the emotional toll of losing his father and the years spent navigating the criminal justice process.
"I don't want to fear this man no more. And for a long time, he made my life... hard to live and stuff," Nathaniel said.
He urged the court to impose the maximum punishment, telling the judge that repeated court appearances had forced his family to relive the trauma.
"Fear can lead to anger, and the anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering, and I don't want to suffer no more," he said.
Before sentencing, Espinoza spoke directly to the victim's family, expressing remorse for his actions.
"I apologize to the family for my actions. I wish I could take it back," Espinoza said, describing Montes as "a good man."
Judge Stephanie Negin ultimately sentenced Espinoza to 15 years to life in prison. In explaining her decision, the judge referenced a prior manslaughter conviction from 1987 and said it demonstrated a continued threat to public safety.
"At 62 years of age, the defendant has decades in which to learn the consequences of violent conduct. The fact that this court is again imposing a sentence for homicide is deeply troubling..." Negin said.
The sentence concludes the criminal case more than four years after Montes was fatally injured in the stabbing.
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