A younger man who fatally stabbed a 17-year-old boy at a Chula Vista home celebration was sentenced Friday to 12 years in state jail.
James Mumper Jr., 19, was arrested a few month after the Nov. 12, 2022, stabbing demise of Mateo Castillo, then a senior at Valhalla Excessive Faculty in Rancho San Diego.
Mumper, who was 18 years previous on the time on the killing, pleaded responsible to voluntary manslaughter in August. His responsible plea included an allegation of utilizing a lethal weapon within the killing and a stipulation to the 12-year jail time period.
Police obtained a 911 name round 12:45 a.m. on Nov. 12 reporting that somebody had been stabbed and was dying within the 900 block of Rigley Road, in keeping with the Chula Vista Police Division.
The sufferer was discovered with no less than one stab wound and pronounced useless on the residence lower than an hour later.
Chula Vista police mentioned that along with the deadly stabbing, a distinct 17-year-old boy was stabbed and one other was assaulted throughout their investigation into the celebration, which was attended by greater than 60 folks.
At Mumper’s sentencing listening to, the sufferer’s mom, Samantha, mentioned Mateo’s youthful brother was on the celebration and witnessed his brother’s final moments.
Mumper didn’t make a press release on the listening to, however his protection lawyer, Blair Soper, mentioned his consumer had expressed regret to him from the outset of the case.
“He needs to specific his sincerest apologies to the household. He is aware of nothing he can do can deliver Mateo again,” Soper mentioned.
Superior Court docket Choose Michael Popkins known as the killing was “a split-second choice” that upended the lives of the sufferer and defendant, in addition to their households.
“This was a tragedy that didn’t must occur,” the decide mentioned.
Metropolis Information Service contributed to this text.
