People v. Bastardo

Defendant Juan Bastardo was convicted of murder in the first degree of Robert A. Rivera and of murder in the second degree of Mike Armijo. We affirm the convictions.

The homicides occurred during the early morning hours of March 23, 1972. The People’s evidence revealed that the two victims and a friend named Stanley Renner and defendant were in a bar. At approximately the time the bar closed, Rivera, Armijo, and Renner departed from the bar and got into Rivera’s white Cadillac. Armijo, who had been drinking heavily, told Rivera, who was driving, to drive around the block. After circling the…