Lozano guilty of murder
By Eric Laughlin | Democrat staff writer
April 10, 2008 15:44
It took five hours of deliberations for an El Dorado County jury to convict Mario Lozano of first-degree murder...
May 16th is the next day to watch for news about Mario Lozano. That is for the sentencing hearing where they'll decide how long he gets to sit in prison to think about what he did to Kacie.
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HERE'S THE DEMOCRAT ARTICLE APRIL 1O
Lozano guilty of murder
By Eric Laughlin | Democrat staff writer | April 10, 2008 15:44
El Dorado County Jail LOZANO'S MUG SHOT from August 2006 shows the defendant before he began growing long hair and a massive beard.
It took five hours of deliberations for an El Dorado County jury to convict Mario Lozano of first-degree murder, with a special gun-use enhancement, in the July 2006 shotgun slaying of Kathleen 'Kacie' Barron.
The 60-year-old Lozano was arrested in Mono County two weeks after blasting former girlfriend Barron, 40, in her Placerville travel trailer. In an interview with a Placerville detective at the time of his arrest, Lozano admitted to shooting Barron and said he fled because he 'wanted to smoke a few more cigarettes.'
He had returned to Placerville to 're-kindle' his relationship with Barron, according to officials. He then, according to testimony, became angry when the romance failed. Friends of Barron testified in the four-day-long trial that she wanted him to leave her alone.
Evidence in the trial showed that Barron had armed herself with a shotgun first while in the locked trailer, but Lozano, within minutes, went inside her residence and came back with another shotgun. He shot her in the stomach, and then a second time in the face.
But jurors did not buy the defense's argument that the shotgun went off accidentally when Barron grabbed the barrel. The panel chose murder in the first degree over lesser charges that included second-degree murder and manslaughter. None of the men and woman on the panel could be reached for comment after the verdict reading.
The gun-use enhancement could result in a stiffer sentence when Superior Court Judge Daniel B. Proud decides Lozano's fate in a hearing set for May 16. In addition to the murder conviction, Lozano was also convicted of car theft, since he fled the scene in Barron's vehicle.
At trial, Lozano looked much different from when he was first booked into the El Dorado County Jail. Since being jailed his gray hair had grown down to the middle of his back with a beard down to his belly.
Several friends and family members of Barron were present in court throughout the trial.
Brother Pat Barron said he was pleased with the verdict.
'It was definitely a big decision for them to make, and I think they made the right one,' he said. 'It will help us close this open book so we can move forward in life.'
Pat Barron and others close to his late sister plan to attend the sentencing hearing.
Lozano will remain in the custody of the El Dorado County Jail pending that hearing.
(I've been on pins and needles waiting to read the transcript of the interview and the last day in court. Thanks so much in advance. I know it's a huge job.)
My thanks to my favorite anonymous commenter.. You have no idea how much I appreciate you giving us the articles from the paper. Hopefully, Gene will get the Day 4 notes posted soon, then the transcript of that interview. I will be most interested in reading those posts too.
Thank you again...
p.s. They used his mug shot photo, the one used in early Mnt Dem articles right after he was arrested. He has short hair, blue tee shirt, no beard. I bet he shaved it all off as a disquise to evade capture. As people may or may not remember, he used to have long hair and a beard, though not as long as he had in court, which was a perfectly ridiculous way to appear.
Thank you again! I think I know the photo you're talking about. The same one that the tv/radio station in Owens Valley/Mammoth Lakes put on their article on March 27th. I posted the picture here with their article.
p.s. to my favorite anonymous commenter: are you really posting from Holland? lol
Happy to see that my anonymous surf tool is working perfectly. lol, very loud.
LOL, it works very well... The site counter has your "location" posted as Amsterdam, Netherlands... hehehe..
Beautiful place, by the way! I was over there a few years ago to visit a good friend.
We are curious as to your thoughts and impressions about the jury, what kind of a mix they were, their reactions, etc. Also, because the interview appears to have been so damming, I don't get why the prosecution didn't use it, and why the defense did. However, my best guess as to why the defense did, is that Lozano is arrogant and grandiose enough to have thought that the jury would actually bought his acting job. From his statements quoted in the Democrat, it appears that he thought just that, and truly doesn't realize how he comes across, how odd, and illogical, and how telling his words really were. Obviously, he thought he was some actor extraordinaire.
"Normal" people don't worry about getting through life without killing someone. They don't go bed every night, and pray,"Thank you God for protecting the world from me yet another day....Dear God, please keep me from killing someone tomorrow."
Those comments about the "very dark blood, and they never get it right in the movies." Is it just me, or doesn't that make it sound like he's pretty experienced with blood? Who says things like this? An arrogant psychopath, that's who.
And the pretense of remorse was especially sickening. I doubt very much that Kacie had “hate in her eyes,” and I'm betting this was the other way around. Her eyes were undoubtedly filled with terror. I'm sure he caught Kacie by surprise, and I doubt she had time to “pull the trigger.” He implies that he wishes she had for his sake, but he is not the one who is miserable, but rather the world is for having him in it. Had he died, the world would have been done a favor, not him. But for him to say that he wished death upon himself? Nonsense. He clearly values his own life far too much, otherwise why run off her car? And, clearly, he did not want or expect to get caught. Smoke a few more cigarettes my ass. Again, what kind of person says crap like this?
Equally outrageous were his next statements insinuating that Kacie knows plenty of people in prison who will ultimately kill him. For someone to kill another in prison, they have to have little to lose, ie, have life sentences. I don't know Kacie, but I did not get the impression that she hung out in a den of thieves, thugs, and other murderers, and had a pack of friends who would otherwise be “lifers” in prison.” What an attack on Kacie's character, and what an offensive thing to say! It's almost tantamount to blaming her, and at minimum, is certainly very underhanded. She may have had a drug problem that she needed to work on, (a lot of people do) but her biggest problem (that she appeared to be attempting to solve) was getting him out of her life.
When Mario Lozano dies in prison, it will either be from old age, failing health, or because he commits suicide. He appears to be just that selfish.
Hi, I am the ex- sister in-law of Mario. I fully agree with everything as he was less than stellar with my sister. However as many do not probably know Mario has a son, my nephew who is an outstanding young man serving our country in Iraq. As the Baron family suffers please remember Mario's son is a victim in all of this as well. He also has to live with the legacy his father has left him. Please keep him in all your prayers also. As I said before I am in agreement with Verdict. Very glad it was not my sister.
Hi, anonymous,
Did I meet you at the trail? I did meet someone who was related to his ex somehow. Been a long, long three weeks counting the jury selection. So some of the new names and faces are a little blurry. Thank you for your comment.
I will remember Mario's son in prayer. This has to be quite a burdon to pack, even if he doesn't cop to it. I've found that it is amazing what traits are hereditary and also what isn't. It's different in every circumstance. His son is NOT doomed to be like or end up like his dad. If I had the chance to meet him, it would be HIM, not his dad's son.
Mario will reap the consequences of his selfishness and lack of control of his temper. He will not be able to destroy any more families' lives.
God bless, lets live forward now. Gene.
I'm a cousin of mario lozano if this is the right one. does he have a sister name olivia lozano?
reason is I just heard about this and frankly this is soooooo sad for everyone.
the mario I knew back then he was so young and me much younger also, but I know this mario lozano dad died killed himself back then long time ago. no one kept in contact and years went and now everyone is old. His father was my mom's sister and of 17 kids born my mother will be 90yrs old and still remembers him as well as olivia. My aunt josephine lozano of las vegas, nv tolded me about him. I just can't believe it.......all my respect to everyone involved bless all of you!!!
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