A man who had faced the death penalty in the 2024 killings of a mother and her two children pleaded guilty Monday to all charges in exchange for life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Jose Carmen Cardona, 61, was set to appear in court Monday morning for the start of his preliminary hearing. However, San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Xapuri Villapudua was told by the attorneys in the case that a resolution had been reached in the case – the DA would remove seeking the death penalty.
Cardona is accused of killing Lizbeth Gutierrez-Salazar, 32, and her two sons — 10 and 7 years old. Cardona and Gutierrez-Salazar were in a “dating relationship,” according to authorities.
Cardona, who is not a U.S. Citizen, pleaded guilty and admitted true to:
He will serve his life sentence without the possibility of parole at a state prison.
Prepared to take plea
Inside the Stockton courtroom, one of Gutierrez-Salazar’s children who survived the fire sat with his grandmother and other loved ones.
During a press conference in 2024, District Attorney Ron Freitas said that a 13-year-old child was inside the burning RV as well, but he was able to escape.
Also sitting in the courtroom gallery were members of the Stockton and Lodi Fire Department and a member from the Mexican consulate.
Cardona sat next to his attorney, Brian Lafferty, as a Spanish interpreter translated the hearing for him.
Before going forward with the plea, Villapudua said the court had some concerns because it was a serious case.
“It does feel very rushed… we have no preliminary hearing and no factual basis,” she said.
Prosecutor Janet Smith told the judge that she was confident in the communication of the defense counsel and that she had also talked to the victim’s family about their wishes to proceed with the case. Lafferty also agreed that his client was aware of what was occurring with the case and they were prepared.
“I’m not concerned that this came about quickly, my concern is taking a plea of this magnitude in a short (time),” Villapudua said.
Following the discussion, the court took a recess for Cardona and his attorneys to look over a factual basis of the case provided by the prosecution. At the return of the recess, Cardona’s attorney said he was satisfied about his client’s understatement of the plea and its consequences.
According to Villapudua, Cardona also pleaded to five violent strikes.
‘Our hearts are crushed’
As Smith read the factual basis detailing what took place the day of the killings, the son of Gutierrez-Salazar left the room along with another child.
According to the factual basis of the case, Gutierrez-Salazar body was charred 100% and she was alive during the fire. The two children’s bodies were also nearly charred 100% and they too were also alive as the fire killed them.
Gutierrez-Salazar’s mother cried as the facts were read. Many of the loved ones hugged each other and wept.
During the hearing, impact statements were read and given by Gutierrez-Salazar’s mother, a cousin and the owner of the property where the deadly fire occurred.
A large photo of the mother and her two children were placed on the jury seats inside the courtroom.
In Gutierrez-Salazar’s mother’s impact statement, which was read by an interpreter, she said she wanted justice for her daughter and grandchildren.
“They were guilty of nothing,” she said. “Our hearts are crushed. It feels like a terrible nightmare… they were burned alive.”
The grieving grandmother said she could not believe her family was taken from her in such a horrible crime.
Gutierrez-Salazar’s cousin spoke briefly before getting emotional. She said she had seen her cousin and the children just weeks prior to their deaths. She questioned how Cardona could kill children that never even talked bad about him.
The property owner where the blaze happened said Cardona had changed everyone’s lives.
He too said he couldn’t believe a person could cause damage to kids that loved him and said he hoped Cardona never enjoyed freedom again because he believed he would do it again. The owner said his backyard, which was once beautiful, was now a memory of what took place.
When asked if Cardona wanted to speak following the impact statements he said no.
Deadly trailer blaze
According to court documents, Stockton Police Officer Nicholas Fogal said the Stockton Fire Department was dispatched at 6:17 a.m. on June 25, 2024 to 35 Visalia Court in Stockton regarding a trailer on fire.
Firefighters located a fifth wheel trailer in the backyard on the north ride of the residence that was fully engulfed in flames.
After putting out the fire, crews located the bodies of Gutierrez-Salazar and her children.
Officers said they spoke to a witness and victim of the fire, who alleged that he was asleep in the trailer when he heard a noise and woke up, according to the statement of probable cause.
The boy said he and his family were visiting their grandpa for the weekend at the trailer. He said he was asleep on a blow-up mattress while his mother and two brothers were asleep in the raised bedroom area in the trailer.
The victim said he saw his mother’s boyfriend, identified as Cardona, trying to kick open the door inside the trailer. The boy said he saw Cardona’s shorts on fire, as well as a couch inside the trailer on fire.
He had looked toward his mom and noticed there were flames where she was. He said the fire was in his mother’s room up high in the sleeper area.
“When he (the witness) was outside, he looked back inside the trailer, but there was too much fire. He heard his mom screaming and saw she was on fire,” court documents state. “His mom was trying to get out, but she had tripped and fell on the inflatable mattress.”
According to court documents, Cardona was able to exit the trailer. The boy chased Cardona through the backyard and threw a rock at him.
“Jose’s pants were still on fire and he was still trying to put the fire out,” court documents state.
Cardona was able to flee the scene while the boy yelled for help and a passerby called 911, according to police.
Prior to the fire, Cardona had come to the trailer and argued with Gutierrez-Salazar about breaking up and her leaving him, court documents state. The pair had previously argued and Cardona had made threats to kill, beat and burn Gutierrez-Salazar, the witness told police.
Although Gutierrez-Salazar had been in a relationship with Cardona, the children were not biologically his, according to prosecutors.
Following the fire, Cardona was on the run for 17 days and was ultimately arrested by the U.S. Marshals in July at a bus stop in Modesto. It is alleged by authorities that he was attempting to flee the country.
In an affidavit, police said a detective was told by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that Special Agent R. Avakian discovered Cardona had a lengthy criminal history that involved three deportations, felony child abuse, domestic violence, and state and federal prison time served.
A heinous, horrific, and evil crime
Before the sentencing hearing concluded, a video of Gutierrez-Salazar and her children’s lives played accompanied by funeral music in Spanish.
Judge Villapudua and prosecutor Smith also gave comments regarding Cardona’s actions. Smith said the defendant has a history of domestic violence against his prior children and partners.
“He is one of the most cowardly individuals I have ever experienced in my whole career,” Smith said.
She said the mother and children had no chance at all to survive.
“He’s changed forever the trajectory of Max’s (the child who survived) life and opportunities that he had…it doesn’t include an opportunity to grow old with his family,” Smith said.
She said there was nothing the world could do to him that would be sufficient to publish him, but she wanted Cardona to know that the victim’s family would forget about him and they would take their power back.
Villapudua’s statement was similar to Smith’s.
She said she has presided over hundreds of murder cases, but Cardona’s case was the worst.
She described the crime as “heinous, horrific, and evil.”
“It doesn’t feel like a nightmare, it is a nightmare,” Villapudua said. “I truly truly hope with time the family and friends and Max find some peace.”
She said no one deserved this at the hands of someone who was supposed to love them, look after them and protect them.
Record reporter Victoria Franco covers public safety in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at vfranco@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton man pleads guilty to triple murder of mother, two children in trailer fire
Reporting by Victoria Franco, The Stockton Record / The Record
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