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Juries convict cousins in musician's south-area murder
2 separate Sacramento Superior Court juries today convicted the cousins Ronnie Vang and Joson Vang of 1st-degree murder in the June 23, 2009, shooting death of Keith Fessler in his Meadowview area home.
Ronnie Vang, 32, is facing the death penalty as a result of the verdicts. Vang had a just been released from prison on a prior burglary conviction, and witnesses said he told them he shot and killed Fessler during the course of a break-in at the man's home because he did not want to be identified.
The penalty phase of Ronnie Vang's trial has been scheduled for Jan. 6.
Fessler, 44, was a Kaiser-Permanente technician and a long-time musician who collected guitars. Prosecutors said the Vangs stole several of the instruments and then sold some of them to a local pawn shop. The pawn shop owner alerted police and the cousins were soon arrested.
No sentencing date has yet been set on Joson Vang, 27, who is facing a life term with no chance of parole.
Besides the murder, the 2 defendants were both convicted of robbery, burglary and the theft of Kessler's car. Ronnie Vang was convicted on the additional charges of arson and the attempted burglary of a house next door to the Kessler residence.
(Source: The Modesto Bee)
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