Man Convicted for Redwood City Stabbing Death of Teen in 2009 Found Guilty Again

REDWOOD CITY, CA – A man once sentenced to 36 years to life in prison for stabbing a teen to death for throwing rocks at his car in Redwood City in 2009 was found guilty again on Wednesday after his previous conviction was overturned on appeal, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

Luis Adolfo Villa, 26, was only 17 years old when he stabbed 16-year-old Matthew Johnson on Jefferson Avenue near the train tracks in Redwood City on Jan. 3, 2009.

Johnson and two friends were throwing rocks at cars when they hit Villa's vehicle, and two friends jumped out of the car and chased them down, and Villa's friend, 21-year-old Luis Herrera, started beating up Johnson.

Villa then pulled a knife and stabbed Johnson, who bled to death in the street.

After the stabbing, Villa fled to Mexico but was apprehended there and returned to San Mateo County in 2010. He was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 36 years to life in prison in 2012.

But his conviction was overturned by a state appeals court in 2015 because his attorney had failed to challenge the admission of certain evidence during his trial.

Villa was tried again, and again convicted after a jury deliberated for seven days. The jury nearly deadlocked, but ultimately convicted him of second-degree murder.

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