Greenfield man found guilty of murdering his supervisor
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV): Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced that 28-year-old Imeldo Ramirez Merino of Greenfield was found guilty of first degree murder on Friday Oct. 14.
The jury also found Merino intentionally killed Benito Godinez Canales by means of lying in wait with personal use of a firearm. The jury also found Ramirez Merino guilty of two counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling.
Merino is facing a state prison sentence of life without the possibility of parole. He will be sentenced on Nov. 29.
COURTSEY OF MONTEREY COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
According to Pacioni, Ramirez Merino fired several .45 caliber rounds in the direction of two
homes, located in densely populated residential neighborhoods in Greenfield on May 23, 2019. Merino fired from the passenger seat of his friend’s car during the drive-by shootings.
Pacioni said Merino's friend was prosecuted separately and is currently serving time in state prison
On July 31, 2019, Merino texted his and called his minor brother to coordinate picking him up from his home in Greenfield. Merino worked under Canales as a daytime irrigator at an agricultural ranch in south Monterey County.
Pacioni said that Merino had a history of not showing up to work and was written up by Canales multiple times. The day before, Canales suspended Merino.
Pacioni said Merino planned to murder Canales and brought his younger brother with him.
Merino drove himself and his little brother to the ranch he worked at around 4:53 a.m. When he arrived, he spotted Canales driving on a levee road in a white GMC truck checking on water pumps along the way.
Around 5:30 a.m., Merino exited his car, walked up to the passenger side of the GMC truck, and shot Canales dead, eight times, emptying the magazine of his .45 caliber Kimber Pro Carry II semiautomatic pistol.
Shortly after the murder, Merino drove to a convenience store in Greenfield and treated
himself and his brother to a celebratory coffee. Surveillance footage caught them
both laughing and smiling while they chose their coffees and snacks.
