FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — During a tense hearing and after hours of delays, convicted killer Jose Contreras learned his sentence on Wednesday. Contreras will serve 25 years to life in prison for murdering his ex-girlfriend, Zoe Salinas, in 2023.
“It’s hard for me to talk about what this has done to me,” said Salinas’ sister, Savannah, as she remembered their bond. Salinas was only 18 when investigators say her ex took someone else’s gun, loaded it, and shot her in a car.
“I’m not here today to give forgiveness but to speak the truth, and the truth is Zoe was not yours to take,” Salinas’ aunt, Laura, said. She wanted to set the record straight.
“The truth is Zoe broke him with her words, and he couldn’t handle it,” Laura added. “Zoe was done with him, and instead of being a man or acting like an adult, he responded in a cowardly, pathetic, weak like a weak little boy.”
The emotional comments from the victim’s loved ones—and later prosecutors—prompted a response from the defense attorney.
“There are many underlying facts, which were not mentioned by the people, which are well within their knowledge and they know to be proven,” said defense attorney Roger Bonakdar.
Contreras pleaded no contest to murder last month and offered a full apology on Wednesday. However, as the sentencing was set to begin Wednesday morning, the hearing experienced delays as attorneys huddled in the courtroom for hours, reportedly to work out final details.
Fresno County Superior Court Judge Arlan Harrell later commented on the sentence:
“The most I can do is sentence Mr. Contreras in such a way that he understands that his life is not being taken away, but a large chunk of it is.”
Contreras will now serve a minimum of 25 years, potentially extending to life, for the tragic murder of Zoe Salinas.
