Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 08/31/05

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Larry Scoufus Deputy District Attorney: Marianna Lehr Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

CONVICTED MURDERER DENIED PAROLE FOR ANOTHER YEAR

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that on August 30, 2005, twenty four years after Manuel Flores was convicted of Second Degree Murder, the Parole Board determined Flores is not fit to be in the community.

Flores and his victim, Ricoberto Aroyo, were from the same small village in Mexico. Flores claimed that when Arroyo was twelve-years-old he stole a fishing net from Flores. He also claimed that Arroyo interfered with a relationship Flores had with a woman in Mexico. Flores made threats of killing the victim.

On January 17, 1981 twenty-three-year-old Arroyo happened to run into Flores in a bar in Sonoma County. Outside, in front of eye-witnesses, Flores challenged Arroyo to fight. Arroyo declined. Flores shot Arroyo five to six times at point blank range, killing him instantly.

Yesterday the Parole Board scheduled a hearing to evaluate whether Flores was suitable for release. Flores agreed that he was unsuitable and will not be eligible for another hearing for one year.