Sacramento Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Assaulting Homeless Individuals
Diego Flores was found guilty of two first-degree murders and two attempted murders during a 2023 crime spree.
Diego Cordova Flores, 50, from Sacramento, was still in custody as of Friday, according to inmate records.
On December 17, he was found guilty on multiple charges including two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, first-degree burglary, arson, and four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The jury also recognized special circumstances for multiple murders and firearm use, which aggravated the severity of Flores’s sentence.
According to prosecutors, Flores attempted to murder Darryl Thomas, a homeless individual in the city, by shooting him twice on March 16, 2023. Thomas survived the attack, as reported by the district attorney’s office.
Flores was further convicted of breaking into a homeless woman’s trailer just four days later. When law enforcement arrived in response to the burglary, he allegedly threatened to kill the woman, identified in legal documents as Tina Mack, for reaching out to the police, according to prosecutors.
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The following day, the Sacramento Fire Department responded to reports of a fire at the invaded trailer, where they discovered the woman’s lifeless body inside. Authorities determined she had died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Investigations concluded that Flores was responsible for the murder and the subsequent arson, according to the district attorney’s office.
On the same day, prosecutors alleged that Flores attempted to murder another homeless man by shooting him four times, including a shot to the head. The man, identified as Joel Ortiz, also survived.
Then on March 31, 2023, the remains of another homeless individual, Earl May, were located in a shallow grave at a nearby golf course. Prosecutors noted the victim appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound to the back of the head, with witnesses identifying Flores as the shooter.
Items seen Aug. 27 near the old site of Camp Resolution in Sacramento after the homeless camp was swept the day before. Travis Gillmore/The Epoch Times
All victims were homeless individuals residing in tents or trailers.
Sacramento police apprehended Flores on August 28, 2023.
During the 2023 crime spree, Flores was on parole. His previous convictions included first-degree burglary, a felony, recorded in 2011.
