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Baldwin Park man sentenced for stabbing neighbor to death

A Baldwin Park man was sentenced June 30 to 16 years to life in state prison for stabbing a neighbor to death in December 2016, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. 

In court, Steven Barron, 55, pleaded no contest to one count of second-degree murder for killing Gilbert Ochoa Jr., 43. Barron also admitted to the special allegation the he used a knife to commit the killing. 

Barron was renting a room in a Baldwin Park residence, and in the early morning of Dec. 9, 2016, he got into an argument with Gilbert Ochoa, 43, in the residence’s garage, prosecutors said. Sheriff's officials have said Ochoa was a neighbor. 

The altercation turned physical and during the fight, Barron armed himself with a knife and Ochoa picked up an a aluminum pole, prosecutors said. 

As the two men fought, Barron stabbed Ochoa in the chest, then gained control of the pole and hit Ochoa over the head, according to prosecutors.

Barron was arrested at the scene. 

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @jeromercampbell and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.

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