On January 7th, 2021 at about noon, two college freshmen, Jasper Van der Meulen and Enzo Rastelli, were shot and killed on a quiet neighborhood street in Goleta.
"This never should have happened; he shouldn’t have been killed by a 15-year-old with a handgun," said Sharon Donahoe, Jasper's Mother.
Donahoe tells KSBY the teen shooter pled guilty and confirmed association with the Westside criminal street gang. That teen is now serving a seven-year sentence at Santa Maria Juvenile Hall.
"He’ll probably be out by the time he is 22, which is the same age Jasper would be if he wasn’t killed at 19," Donahoe continued.
While the 15-year-old pulled the trigger, Bryan Munoz was also charged in connection with the killing. Donohue blames both the teen and the gun for the murder of her son Jasper and his friend Enzo, but also Senate Bill 1391 which changed California law in 2019 and led to a lesser sentence for the teen since they were under the age of 16.
"I don’t feel like every 15-year-old should be prosecuted as an adult, but I feel like it’s not keeping our community safer and it’s not appropriate not to be able to do that," said Donahoe.
As for Munoz, he was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery in connection with the killings. Donahoe said he’s the person responsible for planning the robbery and also fled the scene after the men were shot but he was not tried for murder due to another Senate Bill that prevents people from being convicted of murder if they were not the actual killer.
"It’s almost no one's fault and that’s what it feels like. And that is very frustrating," said Donahoe.
KSBY's request to record audio during last Thursday’s hearing for Munoz was denied but before the sentence was handed down by the judge, the parents of the victims spoke directly to Munoz during emotionally charged statements, Munoz listened with little emotion.
Enzo’s mother Tanya Restilli said in part through tears - “I’ll never get to see him become a father, or meet my grandchildren, I’ll never get to see him realize his dreams.”
Before sentencing Munoz to 13 years in state prison, Judge Dandona said “There are no winners here today.” The sentence left the families frustrated.
"There needs to be accountability!….accountability…it’s just maddening!" said Tanya Rastelli, Enzo's Mother.
Munoz was the third and final defendant to be sentenced in this case. Both the prosecutor and defense attorney declined to comment.
