Jose Quirin, a 79-year-old resident of San Diego, California, tragically lost his life on May 3, 2022, during an attempted carjacking. On that fateful morning, Quirin was sitting in his parked vehicle outside his workplace in Bay Ho when he was confronted by Francisco Xavier Villegas. Villegas, who was 21 years old at the time, attempted to forcefully take Quirin's car. When Quirin resisted, Villegas pulled out a gun and shot him at close range.
Despite being mortally wounded, Quirin managed to drive a short distance to a McDonald's restaurant parking lot in Pacific Beach, where he was found by employees and subsequently taken to a hospital. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Quirin's death led to the arrest of Francisco Xavier Villegas. Security cameras captured Villegas boarding the San Diego Trolley shortly after the shooting, which helped the police identify and apprehend him. Villegas had a criminal history, including previous convictions for assault with a knife, robbery, and battery. At the time of the shooting, he was on probation.
Villegas was charged with first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence that Villegas had a history of violent behavior and was described as "truly enamored with guns and extremely dangerous." The jury deliberated for a day and a half before convicting Villegas of first-degree murder and finding true a special-circumstance allegation of murder in the commission of an attempted carjacking. This special circumstance qualified Villegas for a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
On January 17, 2025, San Diego Superior Court Judge Albert Harutunian III sentenced Villegas to life in prison without the possibility of parole, along with an additional 56 years for his other offenses. The judge also ordered Villegas to pay for Quirin's funeral and burial expenses. During the sentencing, Quirin's son, Sinhue Quirin, expressed the profound impact his father's death had on their family, highlighting his father's hard work and dedication to providing for his family. The court's decision to impose a life sentence without parole was seen as a measure of accountability for Villegas' actions and a step towards justice for the Quirin family.
