Two men were sentenced to prison Tuesday for the murder of two victims during a 2017 robbery crime spree in Oxnard.

The suspects were identified as Joel Randy Montijo, 27, from Cerritos and Joseph Martinez, 25, from Port Hueneme by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.

Montijo faces 35 years to life in state prison on one count of second-degree murder and four counts of second-degree robbery.

Martinez was sentenced to 20 years and 8 months in prison on two counts of voluntary manslaughter, four counts of second-degree robbery, and one count of attempted second-degree robbery.

The two men along with a third suspect, David Diaz-Flores, 25, were found responsible for the shooting deaths of Aaron Austin and Eduardo Viveros.

Diaz-Flores was previously sentenced to life without parole in March 2023 for his involvement in the deadly crime spree, authorities said.

On May 16, 2017, police found Austin with four gunshot wounds in front of an apartment complex on North G Street. He was later pronounced dead at the Ventura County Medical Center.

On that same day, Viveros was also found shot to death on Perkins Road. Viveros had suffered three gunshot wounds before he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Investigators believe the fatal shootings took place within a 30-minute time span.

That same night, the three suspects had also robbed three additional victims at gunpoint, police said. Martinez acted as the getaway driver for Montijo and Flores during this crime spree.

“It has been a long, arduous road for the victims’ families to see justice for their loved ones,”
said John Barrick, a Senior Deputy District Attorney with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. “With today’s sentencing, we can finally end their trauma and hopefully begin their healing.”