BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A second man has been arrested in connection with the killing of Benny Alcala Jr, a correctional counselor at Wasco State Prison.
Alcala was shot near his car while parked in a Target parking lot in Southwest Bakersfield on Wednesday, August 24. An investigation initially revealed the killer as Robert Pernell Roberts, 29. Roberts was arrested by the Bakersfield Police Department on Friday, September 2.
Now another man has been arrested for the death of Alcala. Sebastian Parra, 23, was arrested on Tuesday, December 27 after being a key witness in Roberts' trial. Parra had testified that Roberts killed Alacala in the hope that Alacala had money, as he was charging an electric vehicle (EV).
Roberts' attorney, Deputy Public Defender Lexi Blythe, pointed out during Parra's testimony that he owned a gun that matches the one that Alcala was murdered with, before accusing Parra of interviewing with the police and giving testimony on Roberts to avoid being arrested for murder himself.
Sebastian Parra is scheduled to be in court again on February 3, 2023 at 8:30 am for a readiness hearing. His trial is set for February 14. A motion has been brought before the court to combine Parra's trial with Roberts' and try the two men at the same time. That motion is scheduled to be heard on January 10.
