Concord man gets life in prison for 2019 Petaluma outlets murder
Man gets 50 years to life for 2019 murder of 19-year-old in Petaluma.
PETALUMA, Calif. - A Concord man was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for the murder of a man at the Petaluma Factory Outlets nearly five years ago.
On Sept. 28, 2019, David Kyle Lubkin, 30, shot and killed 19-year-old Ezequiel Garcia of Santa Rosa. Police found the victim with a gunshot wound at the wheel of his vehicle.
The Sonoma County assistant district attorney said the murder was premeditated. The D.A.'s office said on the day of the murder, Lubkin met with Garcia under the pretense of purchasing a necklace off of Craigslist. But when the victim arrived, he was confronted by Lubkin over a previous deal.
Officials said Lubkin then pulled a ghost gun from his waistband and fired three shots at Garcia, who was fleeing in his car. One of those bullets struck and killed Garcia. The victim's car crashed into a wall, a pole, and a flowerbed before coming to rest at the open-air mall.
Following weeks of investigation by Petaluma police that included eyewitness statements, an arrest was made.
MORE: Police search for 19-YO Santa Rosa man's killer in factory outlet store shooting
During his sentencing, a judge admonished Lubkin for the "callous shooting to death of an unarmed man fleeing…because it insulted your ego." The defendant showed no remorse for his actions in Wednesday's court.
Sonoma County D.A. Carla Rodriguez said Lubkin's "well-planned murder" caused immeasurable harm to the victim's family. She said she hopes with today's sentencing, that in some small way they are able to move forward with their lives.
A jury convicted Lubkin of first-degree murder and discharging a firearm at a motor vehicle, causing death in May 2023.
When it happened, the murder shook the community of Petaluma, where homicides are rare.