A Porterville man was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2023 gang-related murder of a rival, Tulare County prosecutors said.

Oscar Zavala, 29, was convicted of first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement and a special circumstance that the killing was committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang and constituted street terrorism. The jury returned its verdicts last month after a trial at the South County Justice Center.

According to court records, the fatal shooting occurred at approximately 1:45 a.m. on July 10, 2023, at a Porterville motel. Surveillance footage captured Zavala exchanging words with the victim, briefly leaving, then returning and firing a single shot. The victim’s body was found later that morning in a secluded area of the motel.

Investigators tied Zavala to the crime through surveillance footage and a convenience store receipt found in his motel room. He was arrested a few days later at a Porterville residence.

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