San Diego man gets 4 life sentences for homeless killing spree

SAN DIEGO (KSWB) -- A 43-year-old man who killed four people, including three homeless men, and attacked several others throughout San Diego during a spree of attacks in 2016 has been sentenced to four life-without-parole state prison terms, plus 143 years to life.

Jon David Guerrero pleaded guilty nearly a year ago in connection with attacks on 13 victims between February and July of 2016, some of whom were set on fire, bludgeoned, or impaled with railroad spikes.

Guerrero, who was set to go to trial in June 2020, pleaded to charges that include murder, attempted murder, assault and arson, plus a special circumstance allegation of committing multiple murders. He faced a potential death penalty had the case gone to trial, but the capital punishment decision was never made by the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.

A definitive motive was never disclosed, though preliminary hearing testimony indicated Guerrero told the first victim in the series of attacks that he attacked him, “Because you're a bum.”