The man found guilty last month of killing former Yachats resident Martin “Marty” Baker was sentenced Thursday to 23 years, eight months to life in California prison.
A judge in San Diego County Superior Court imposed the punishment on Eugene “Gene” Focarelli, 39, following a jury’s guilty verdict Feb. 1 on charges that included second degree murder.
Baker, 49, a formerly homeless man who found shelter and friendship through Yachats Community Presbyterian Church, was attacked and beaten by Focarelli after an incident at a pizza restaurant where the Focarelli worked. Baker died a few days after the attack, which occurred in his hometown of Borrego Springs, Calif., a small community northeast of San Diego.
“I feel as though we did achieve justice for Marty and his family,” said deputy district attorney Kim Coulter, who tried the case with deputy district attorney Cherie Somerville. While Focarelli has the right to appeal the outcome, “I don’t anticipate it being an issue; it’s commonplace,” Coulter said.
Although no friends or family appeared in court on Focarelli’s behalf during the trial, Coulter said the defendant’s father and two brothers did attend the sentencing hearing. In a brief statement, one brother asked for mercy for Focarelli.
Focarelli already had one “strike” against him — a burglary conviction from 2003. Although under California law that crime could have increased his sentence, the judge disallowed it because it was a non-violent crime that occurred many years ago.
“We did our job, we got the guilty verdict, he’s been sentenced,” reported Coulter. “We’re feeling good about it.”
Coulter told Yachats News after the trial that Baker “was able to speak to the jurors” because just after the attack two years ago, a San Diego County sheriff’s deputy wearing a body camera was on the scene in Borrego Springs. Baker, who had been beaten unconscious, regained consciousness long enough to identify his attacker on camera. When the jurors were shown the footage, Coulter said, “That was pretty powerful. You could tell they were upset and traumatized by what had happened.”
Baker struggled with mental health issues. He arrived in Yachats in 2017 after bicycling his way from Borrego Springs. He found shelter in a tool shed belonging to a member of the Yachats Presbyterian Church, and soon became a fixture around the church. With the help of congregation members he received government benefits and moved into a small rental house, got a driver’s license and bought a truck.
The COVID-19 pandemic, though, left him feeling alone when the church had to shut down. He returned to his California home town in the summer of 2020.
— Cheryl Romano/YachatsNews
