Oxnard Man Sentenced to 54 Years for 2015 Murder of Angel Diaz

A decade after a violent crime spree terrorized the streets of Oxnard, justice has finally been served for the family of Angel Diaz. On Monday, January 12, 2026, Aaron Jabezz Holmes, 30, was sentenced to 54 years to life in state prison. Holmes had previously pleaded no contest to first degree murder and assault with a firearm, ending a long legal saga that began when he was just 19 years old.

A Night of Random Violence and Tragedy

The sentencing stems from a series of events on April 30, 2015. Prosecutors described how Holmes, accompanied by two adults and two minors, engaged in a multi hour crime spree across Oxnard. Early in the evening, Holmes fired at a man on a bicycle whom he perceived as an enemy, wounding him in the foot. Later that night, he robbed a group of teenagers at gunpoint while they were practicing a dance routine in a parking lot, walking away with only a small amount of change and a cellphone.

The night turned fatal when Holmes approached a truck parked outside a donut shop on Rose Avenue. Inside was 37 year old Angel Diaz, a father who had just finished a late shift and was eating dinner in his vehicle to avoid waking his family. Holmes tapped on the window with a loaded gun and, when Diaz tried to drive away, Holmes fired through the glass, killing him. The truck subsequently rolled forward and crashed into the shop. Holmes was later overheard bragging about having slumped someone, a slang term for murder.

The Controversy Over Parole Eligibility

The sentencing hearing was marked by a sharp disagreement between the judge and the District Attorney’s Office. Over the strong objection of prosecutors, the judge chose to strike Holmes’ prior robbery conviction from his record. This legal maneuver significantly changes the timeline for his potential release. Without the prior strike, Holmes became eligible for California’s youthful offender parole, which applies to those who commit crimes before the age of 26.

As a result of the judge's ruling, Holmes could be eligible for parole consideration at approximately age 44. Had the prior strike remained, he would not have been eligible for parole until at least age 60. Senior Deputy District Attorney Theresa Pollara expressed frustration, stating that the decision significantly altered the practical effect of the sentence by accelerating his release window. Despite this, the 54 year to life sentence ensures that Holmes will remain behind bars for at least the next fourteen years before any possibility of a hearing.