Killer Of Off-Duty Richmond Cop Sentenced To 21 Years

SOLANO COUNTY, CA – A Fairfield man was sentenced in Solano County Superior Court Tuesday to 21 years in prison for the killing of an off-duty Richmond police officer last year.

Robert James Vega, 30, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and personal use of a firearm on Oct. 31. The jury also found he was sane when he killed the officer, Augustine "Gus" Vegas Jr., on Feb. 11, 2016.

Vega shot Vegas Jr., 58, multiple times inside Vegas' home at 35 Narragansett Court in the Glen Cove area of Vallejo shortly after 4:40 a.m. Vega was the father of Vegas' 6-year-old grandson.

On the morning of the shooting, Vega woke up the household and shot Vegas, who went to find out what was happening, then fled with Vegas' grandson, the Solano County District Attorney's office said.

Fairfield police arrested Vega at his Fairfield home. Vega's son was not harmed during the incident.

Vega previously was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and had been smoking marijuana in the days before and on the day of the slaying, the District Attorney's Office said.

Vegas, a foster parent, was a 15-year veteran of the Richmond Police Department. He had 10 children and 22 grandchildren and was involved in the Vallejo nonprofit Foster Greatness organization that provides services
for foster children.

Vegas' family members, friends and colleagues from the Richmond Police Department attended the sentencing and spoke about the loss the killing had on them and the community, the District Attorney's office said.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Jury Finds Fairfield Man Sane In Killing Of Off-Duty Richmond Cop
• Solano Co. Man Convicted In Death Of Richmond Officer
• Fairfield Man Pleads Insanity In Police Murder
• Fairfield Man Charged In Murder Of Off-Duty Richmond Cop
• Off-Duty Richmond Police Officer Fatally Shot at Home
• Memorial Fund Underway For Slain Richmond Officer, Dad To 10 And Grandpa To 20
• Off-Duty Cop 'Senselessly' Killed In His Vallejo Home By His Grandson's Dad: Officials

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--Bay City News/Images via Richmond police of (left) Robert James Vega, and RPOA Gus Vegas Family Trust GoFundMe of victim Augustine "Gus" Vegas Jr.