Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that Gerardo Arroyo Almanza a 37-year-old man of Simi Valley, was sentenced to 39 years 4 months to life in state prison for the murder of his father, Alfredo Arroyo Sancen. Almanza previously pled guilty on August 3, 2026, to second-degree murder and three counts of criminal threats against additional family members. He also admitted to a prior strike offense and a special allegation for the use of a weapon.
Family members provided victim impact statements to the court, including Jose Iglesias-Arroyo, who spoke about the profound personal impact of the loss of his grandfather.
“To me this is not just a case or a headline, this is my grandfather, this is my family,” Iglesias-Arroyo said.
On April 6, 2024, several of Almanza’s family members drove to his residence in Simi Valley to check on his well-being. While they were near their vehicles parked across the street, Almanza ran out of the house, confronted his family members with a knife and threatened to kill them. Almanza chased his mother and father around a parked car. After catching his father and pinning him to the ground, Almanza stabbed him several times.
As neighbors began to gather, Almanza ran from the area. An EMT-trained neighbor provided first aid to Sancen before he was transported by emergency medical services to the hospital. Sancen died at Los Robles Regional Medical Center. Simi Valley Police Department officers quickly arrived on scene and arrested Almanza, who was hiding a block away from the crime scene.
On March 6, 2025, the court-appointed mental health expert determined that Almanza was incompetent to stand trial. On October 6, 2025, Almanza was deemed competent for trial.