Sacramento jury convicts man in botched Fair Oaks robbery that ended in shooting death
A Sacramento County jury convicted a man for a shooting death during a botched robbery at a Fair Oaks home 11 years ago.
The homicide case remained cold until DNA linked the defendant to the crime scene, prosecutors said.
The jury on Wednesday found John Meskell, 47, guilty of first-degree murder in the 2010 death of Cristian Anton, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release Friday afternoon. The conviction included a special circumstance enhancement for committing murder during a robbery.
The botched robbery and shooting occurred about 1 a.m. Feb. 8, 2010 at a home in the area of Winding Way and New York Avenue in Fair Oaks, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.
Prosecutors said Meskell and an unidentified suspect, armed with loaded guns, forced their way into the home of Anton and his brother in an attempt to rob them. Sheriff’s officials said the suspects demanded money from Anton and his brother, but the victims refused.
A struggle over a shotgun ensued, and Anton was shot and killed, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Sheriff’s Officials have said Anton’s brother also suffered minor injuries during the failed robbery.
Prosecutors said the homicide case went cold until December 2017, when the Cold Case Unit at the Sheriff’s Office reopened the investigation.
Advances in DNA analyzing technology allowed the Crime Lab at the District Attorney’s Office to re-analyze zip ties that were used to bind Anton. Prosecutors said analysts found Meskell’s DNA on one of the zip ties found at the crime scene.
Investigators recovered two of the guns used in the crime; both weapons were unregistered, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Another gun used in the failed robbery was never recovered.
Meskell was arrested in January 2020. The second suspect has not been identified.
Prosecutors said Meskell faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Meskell, who remained in custody Friday evening at the Sacramento County Jail, is scheduled to return Jan. 28 to Sacramento Superior Court for his sentencing. Deputy District Attorney Kristen Andersen prosecuted the case.
