Man Sentenced to 42 Years to Life in State Prison for Gang-Related Murder and Assault

Author: District Attorney
Date: 4/28/2026 2:50 PM

District Attorney Dan Dow announced today that Angel Ramosramirez (DOB 01/26/1995) has been sentenced to 42 years to life in state prison for the 2022 gang-related murder of Daniel Diaz (20) and the 2021 knife assault on a teenager.

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The sentencing took place this morning in Department 8 of the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court, the Honorable Jesse Marino Presiding.  Ramosramirez was convicted by a jury for the murder charge in September of 2025 and found guilty in a separate court trial for the assault in January of 2026.  The defendant received the maximum sentence of 42 years to life in state prison.

On September 9, 2025, a San Luis Obispo County jury found Angel Ramosramirez (31) guilty of the second-degree murder of Daniel Diaz.  The jury also found true that Ramosramirez committed the murder for the benefit of the West Park criminal street gang and that Ramosramirez used a knife in the killing.  The West Park criminal street gang operates primarily in Santa Maria.  

During the 29-day trial, jurors heard evidence that Mr. Diaz, a 20-year-old Oceano resident, was stabbed 10 times by Ramosramirez during the early morning hours of June 4, 2022, on a street in Oceano.  

After the jury verdict, San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Jesse Marino found true that Ramosramirez had sustained a 2016 Santa Barbara County conviction for making criminal threats for the benefit of the same criminal street gang.  The 2016 conviction qualifies as a “strike” under California’s Three Strikes Law.

On January 29, 2026, Judge Marino found Ramosramirez also guilty of assault with a deadly weapon in a separate case.  The Judge also found true that Ramosramirez used a knife in the assault and inflicted great bodily injury on a 19-year-old victim in that case. 

This prosecution involved a unique circumstance in that both the murder and the knife assault were charged in the same complaint.  However, the court ordered separate trials on each crime to protect the defendant’s due process rights.  The murder charge was tried first.

At the assault trial, Ramosramirez waived his right to a jury, and the evidence was heard by Judge Marino rather than by a jury.  The evidence established that Ramosramirez stabbed a teenager in the chest at a party in Nipomo on September 4, 2021; nine months before the murder of Mr. Diaz.  Judge Marino also found that Ramosramirez personally inflicted great bodily injury on the young victim of that stabbing.  

“Violent gang predators like Ramosramirez who prey on people of our community belong behind bars for life—today’s maximum sentence of 42 years to life delivers the swift justice our community demands,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “Victims of violent crime deserve our unwavering protection and a justice system that honors their rights above all. Our office stands with them, partnering with law enforcement to ensure predators face the full consequences.”

Current California sentencing law breaks up this sentence in the following manner: the defendant must first serve 11 years in state prison; after that, the defendant will then begin serving his 31 years to life sentence. Due to continual revision of California law, we cannot predict when the defendant might be eligible for release from prison on parole.

The case was investigated by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department with the assistance of the Santa Maria City Police Department, San Luis Obispo City Police Department, California Highway Patrol, San Luis Obispo County Probation Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosive.  

The cases were prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Gregory Devitt.  Victim services were provided by Victim Advocate Sonia Valencia.  Witness Coordination services were provided by Witness Coordinator Kellie Navarro.

Here is a copy of the charging document. Here is a copy of the defendant’s booking photo.
Please contact Assistant District Attorney Eric J. Dobroth at 805.781.5819 with any questions.
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