Trainer Gets Prison Time in Vista Boxing Club Killing

Victim's son said Mark Diaz was jealous of his father and had issued threats before the shooting

A North County man was handed a life prison sentence Monday for killing a fellow boxing trainer in a jealous rage two years ago.

Mark Diaz, 51, was sentenced to 86 years to life for killing Hector Gil and wounding two others at the Pacific Coast Gym in Vista.

Boxer Ricky Gutierrez had just finished a night of training on April 7 2010 when he suddenly saw a gun.

“It was pointing at me already. The hand was ready, aiming at me,” Gutierrez said.

Several shots were fired. Gutierrez was shot in the leg and when he turned around he saw that Gil, his trainer, had also been shot.

“I saw Hector, breathing, bleeding,” Gutierrez told NBCSanDiego in 2010.  Moments later, Gil died.

A boxer and another trainer were wounded.

Diaz was Gutierrez’ former trainer, Diaz, who got jealous when Gutierrez became a professional boxer and decided to train with Gil instead.

Months before the shooting, Diaz had made so many threats that a restraining order was filed to keep him away from the gym.

Diaz was convicted last year of murder and other charges.

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