LOS ANGELES, CA — A 21-year-old man pleaded guilty Thursday to murdering four people who were sleeping in their Lancaster home in a crime that the prosecution called "an act of revenge."
Miguel Diego Sandoval, who was 19 at the time of the crime, is facing four consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole for the Nov. 16, 2024, killings of Christine Aca-ac, 25; her brother, Janvi Maquindang, 21; Edwin Garcia, 24, and Matthew Montebello, 23.
He is set to be formally sentenced Nov. 17 by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo.
Sandoval pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder, three felony counts of cruelty to an animal involving three dogs that subsequently died in a fire and one felony count each of first-degree residential burglary with a person present, arson of an inhabited structure, attempted murder and felony child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death, along with one misdemeanor count each of child abuse under circumstances or conditions other than great bodily injury or death and destroying or concealing evidence — the latter count of which he spent a lengthy amount of time discussing with his attorneys before entering his plea on that charge.
He also admitted the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and lying in wait, as well as gun-related allegations.
Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott told the judge that the District Attorney's Office agreed to accept the defense's offer of a plea to all of the charges and a sentence of life without the possibility of parole before a decision was reached on whether to seek the death penalty.
"This was an act of revenge," the prosecutor said outside the downtown Los Angeles courtroom, noting that the victim named in the attempted murder count had broken up with Sandoval but was not at the home that night.
Sandoval broke into the home where the four victims were sleeping and shot them, then set fire to the house to cover up the crime, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Aca-ac, Maquindang and Garcia were pronounced dead at the scene. Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies pulled Montebello from the burning house in the 44500 block of North Tabler Avenue, near East Avenue J and Challenger Way, but he died late the next day, authorities said.
A 16-year-old girl who was inside the house was not injured, authorities said.
Sandoval was initially charged with four counts of murder and one count each of first-degree residential burglary and arson of an inhabited structure. But a grand jury that indicted him in May 2025 added seven other counts against him, including animal cruelty, attempted murder and child abuse.
He was arrested five days after the killings and has remained behind bars without bail since then.
City News Service
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Los Angeles Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.