SACRAMENTO — A Sacramento man was convicted last week for the slashing death of a local woman in April 2015.
On Thursday, December 22, 2016, a Sacramento County jury found Juan Avalos, 30, guilty of the first-degree murder of Nichole Riolo, 32.
On April 22, 2015, Riolo was driving in North Highlands when Avalos, a pedestrian, intentionally kicked her car, making Riolo think she had hit him. She drove to a nearby parking lot on the 7400 block of Watt Avenue and got out of the car to see if Avalos needed help. As she returned to her car, Avalos attacked her from behind and slashed her throat. She died at the scene at approximately 10:30 a.m.
Authorities said they arrested Avalos about a half-mile from the scene where they found blood on his pants and the victim’s phone in his pocket.
Avalos is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on January 27, 2017 by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Lawrence Brown. Avalos faces a maximum of 26 years to life in prison.
