Transient Admits to Beating Death of SGV Homeless Man

POMONA, CA - A man described as a transient pleaded no contest Thursday to second-degree murder for the beating death of a homeless man over a spot near a trash bin almost two years ago.

Marco Antonio Villanueva, 37, was immediately sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison for the killing of Ruben Zermeno, who was found dead June 18, 2014, near a trash bin in the 13900 block of Valley Boulevard in La Puente, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Villanueva admitted to investigators after being taken into custody that he had gotten mad at the 56-year-old man for taking his spot near a trash bin and struck Zermeno with a hammer, according to prosecutors.

Zermeno -- who was also stomped on -- died from blunt force trauma, according to prosecutors.

Villanueva was arrested on June 18, 2014, and has remained behind bars since then.

--City News Service, photo via Shutterstock