On August 30, 1997, Hilario Avila was tragically killed in Greenfield, California. The incident occurred during a heated argument between Avila and his roommate, Fidel Rios-Soto. The two were drinking with other roommates in their apartment when the argument escalated. Rios-Soto retrieved a .44-caliber rifle from his bedroom, returned to the living room, and shot Avila three times in the chest.
Avila died instantly, his body found sitting on a chair in the living room.
Following the shooting, Rios-Soto fled the scene, leaving behind all his personal belongings and paycheck. He escaped to Mexico, where he remained for 16 years. During this time, the case remained unresolved, with Rios-Soto evading capture. However, in 2013, Rios-Soto returned to the United States and was arrested by the California Highway Patrol during a routine traffic stop in Glenn County. The officers discovered the outstanding 16-year-old arrest warrant for his involvement in Avila's murder.
The case was brought to trial, and on November 12, 2014, a jury convicted Rios-Soto of first-degree murder. The conviction was based on the evidence presented, including the testimony of witnesses who were present during the shooting. The jury also found that Rios-Soto had used a firearm to commit the murder. The case was investigated by the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, with significant contributions from DA Investigator Tony Rodriguez and retired Greenfield Police Officer Miguel Cabrera.
Rios-Soto was sentenced on January 22, 2015, to 35 years to life in prison. The sentencing marked the end of a long and arduous journey for justice in the case of Hilario Avila's murder. The conviction and sentencing of Rios-Soto brought some closure to the tragic event that had remained unresolved for nearly two decades.
