In the moments before a Ventura County Superior Court judge imposed the maximum sentence on the pair convicted of murdering Yanelly Vargas, loved ones of the late Oxnard woman described her as far more than a victim.Vargas, they said during the Oct. 21 hearing, had a generous spirit, bright smile and warm laugh. No sentence will ever bring her light back.
“You stole Yanelly’s life from us,” Sonia Correa, a loved one of Vargas, told the two defendants. “You took a mother, friend, sister and woman of strength and compassion, leaving a void that will never be filled.”
Margarita Jimenez received 80 years to life in prison. Her then-boyfriend, Jorge Garfias, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. A jury found both guilty of murder last month.
During the trial, prosecutors alleged the attack was fueled by jealousy after Jimenez, 34, discovered text messages between her boyfriend, Garfias, 38, and the victim, whom he had previously dated.
Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick said that on the night of March 17, 2024, Garfias lured Vargas out of an Oxnard bar and into his truck, driving her to a nearby parking lot where he and Jimenez assaulted her. Jimenez testified that she ultimately used a handgun stored in the vehicle to shoot Vargas ending her life at age 35.
Victim impact statements
Eight of Vargas’ family members and friends read victim impact statements, advocating for a punishment that reflected the severity of the crime.
Irene Sandoval said burying her only child was a pain no mother should ever have to bear.
That pain is hardest in the ordinary but beautiful moments that once made up their life together, such as buying the ingredients for her daughter’s favorite taco recipe.
“I lost someone truly special. I lost my everything,” Sandoval said. “There’s a hole in my heart that will never be filled.”
Vargas’ daughter, Citlali Correa, spoke of the nightmare she and her four siblings have lived over the past year and a half.
Citlali said she mourns the memories they will never make, like holding Vargas’ hand on her wedding day and watching Vargas hold the baby she hopes to one day have.
Every birthday, every holiday, every milestone will always be overshadowed by an empty chair, she said, and in the moments in between, she wishes she could ask her mother for advice or a hug.
“She was the one who gave me life, and yet she was taken away far too soon,” the child said. “That haunts me every day.”
Vargas was guided by her unwavering faith, and that brings her loved ones a small sense of peace; the two defendants will one day face God, the final judge, family said.
“Until then, may my prima’s life continue to shine in all those who loved her,” Vernise Vasquez said of her cousin.
Margarita Jimenez’s sentencing
One person spoke on behalf of Jimenez’s character.
Anna Tiznato said she did not excuse her cousin’s behavior but believed the sentence should reflect her entire life rather than a single moment.
She said her cousin was a teen mom who escaped domestic violence and raised her children with strong morals.
“I believe Maggie is not beyond redemption,” said Tiznato, who now has custody of Jimenez’s children.
Jimenez read her own statement, telling Vargas’ loved ones that she had remorse for her actions.
“There’s no excuse,” Jimenez said. “I had no right to take the life of Yanelly Vargas.”
The defendant said that she allowed the trauma of her previous relationships to affect her the night of the murder, leaving Vargas’, Garfias’ and her own children without their parents.
“I pray for her children every day,” Jimenez said. “I can’t imagine the amount of pain and suffering they’re going through without their mother.”
Judge Catherine Voelker called Jimenez a lucky woman.
“You get to talk to your children every day. …” she said. “You stole that from Ms. Vargas.”
Voelker questioned what values Jimenez thought she was teaching her children the night she decided to take a life.
The judge also admonished her for not displaying the same confidence she possessed the night of the murder during the victim impact statements. The defendant shot Vargas at close range, yet she couldn’t look the victim’s loved ones in the eyes as they described the pain she caused, Voelker noted.
“That courage, that tenacity, wasn’t present here in the courtroom today, and I hope it was because of shame,” she said.
Public Defender Rebekas Mathis requested that the judge strike her client’s prior felony conviction for the day’s sentencing, but Voelker refused. Jimenez was previously convicted of attempting to stab a previous boyfriend and shooting his brother.
Jimenez’s sentence reflects 50 years for the murder charge, which was doubled because of her prior conviction, 25 years for her use of a firearm during the incident and another five years for her prior strikes.
Jimenez will serve her time in Valley State Prison in Chowchilla.
Garfias’ sentencing
No one spoke on behalf of Garfias, and he did not make a statement during the hearing.
Instead, his defense attorney, Willard Wiksell, requested a new trial. California law allows for a retrial based on grounds such as jury misconduct, legal error or insufficient evidence.
Voelker denied the motion and said she was not surprised by the jury’s verdict.
“But for Mr. Garfias’ active participation in the murder, I have no doubt that Ms. Vargas would still be alive,” she said.
His sentence of 25 years to life does not reflect any special allegations or enhancements..
Voelker also denied Garfias’ request to remain in Ventura County jail until late November so he could celebrate his children’s birthdays.
He will be taken to Wasco State Prison.
Both defendants must pay restitution to Vargas’ family and complete a drug counseling program while in prison. They will be eligible for parole but not probation, and they have the right to appeal their cases.
Makena Huey is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at makena.huey@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Fund to Support Local Journalism.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Couple gets maximum sentence for Oxnard woman’s murder
Reporting by Makena Huey, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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