A Fresno man was sentenced Wednesday to 51 years to life in state prison for fatally stabbing another man 16 times during a confrontation last year, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office said.

Ashton Henry Dejean III, 44, was sentenced by Fresno County Superior Court Judge Monica Diaz for the first-degree murder of Manuel Lopez Jr., 45, of Fresno.

A jury convicted Dejean on July 27 and found true an allegation that he personally used a deadly weapon during the killing.

His sentence includes 50 years to life for the murder conviction, doubled because of a prior strike conviction, and an additional year for the deadly weapon enhancement.

About the Incident

The killing occurred Oct. 31, 2025, when Dejean and Lopez were among several people gathered in a parking lot near a Carl’s Jr. and U.S. Postal Service office near Blackstone and Griffith avenues, prosecutors said.

Dejean approached Lopez and appeared to initiate a confrontation, attempting to kick him and striking at him with a drinking tumbler, according to the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.

When Lopez attempted to defend himself, Dejean retrieved a knife and repeatedly stabbed him, prosecutors said.

Lopez called for help and tried to flee but collapsed on a sidewalk. Dejean initially walked away before returning and stabbing Lopez again while he was on the ground, according to prosecutors.

Fresno police officers and emergency medical personnel attempted lifesaving measures, but Lopez later died at a hospital. An autopsy determined that he suffered 16 stab wounds.

After the attack, Dejean entered the nearby Carl’s Jr. and went into a restroom, where prosecutors said he left a bloodstained sweatshirt and the knife used in the stabbing. Officers later recovered both items.

Dejean was subsequently located, arrested, and booked into the Fresno County Jail.

Following the jury’s verdict, the court also found that Dejean had a prior strike conviction for assault with a deadly weapon stemming from a 2020 Fresno County Superior Court case. Dejean has five prior felony convictions, according to prosecutors.

Under California’s Elderly Parole Program, Dejean is expected to become eligible for parole consideration after serving 20 years and reaching age 50. Eligibility does not guarantee his release, prosecutors said.

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