A former convict has been found guilty of murdering an innocent woman over a dispute involving a stolen motorcycle in Kern County.
Luis Villachana, 51, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for fatally shooting Ruth Ann Cummings, 44, while she was in her vehicle in 2024. This occurred as she arrived at a residence in Oildale, where Villachana had previously threatened her husband and daughter.
According to court documents, Villachana declared, “I’m gonna smoke all you guys,” before discharging his firearm.
The incident began on the morning of August 29, 2024, when Villachana’s motorcycle was stolen from his home. Prosecutors stated that instead of contacting law enforcement, Villachana, a convicted felon, enlisted assistance to locate the stolen vehicle.
The search led Villachana and two accomplices to a house in Oildale, where the motorcycle was discovered in a garage.
Villachana entered the house and questioned a roommate about the theft of his bike. When the roommate did not respond, Villachana allegedly assaulted him, prosecutors reported.
Another roommate was contacted, and he communicated with his parents.
The second roommate’s father arrived at the scene to defuse the situation but ended up assaulting Villachana after the gunman fired at his feet, according to prosecutors.
As the man fled from the house, Villachana fired again, injuring him, before shooting at an SUV driven by Cummings, who had come to aid her husband, prosecutors stated.
Cummings was hit by the gunfire and later succumbed to her injuries.
Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer remarked, “Villachana’s actions were avoidable and entirely unjustified.”
Villachana was apprehended in Shafter a little more than a week after the deadly encounter.
He was convicted on Friday of multiple charges, including first-degree murder, burglary, and attempted murder. He faces a sentence of up to 50 years to life in prison, plus an additional 24 years and 4 months, with sentencing scheduled for August 14.
