A jury found the documented gang member accused of firing at a rival and killing a woman with a stray bullet guilty of murder and other charges in a Vista courtroom Friday.
Prosecutors say Dionicio Torrez, 24, shot 55-year-old Catherine Kennedy in March of 2017 while she was driving home from church on Grand Avenue in Escondido.
Torrez was found guilty on one count of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder of rival gang members and two counts of shooting at an occupied vehicle.
Torrez's sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 20 in Vista.
Deputy District Attorney Laurie Hauf said she believed the verdict delivered an appropriate measure of justice.
A 16-year-old friend of Torrez's was also charged and found guilty .of unknown charges in the case. The teen will be sentenced at a later date in juvenile court, according to Hauf.
Days after Kennedy’s death, the community held a prayer service at St. Timothy’s parish where she volunteered.
Torrez could face life in prison.
