Justin Tray Buchanan, 34 of Shandon, who pled guilty to killing his sister-in-law, and trying to kill his own brother, was sentenced to 30-years to life in State Prison.
A Shandon man convicted of murder and attempted murder has been sentenced to life in prison, the District Attorney announced.
Justin Tray Buchanan, 34, was sentenced to 30-years to life in State Prison after pleading guilty to murdering his sister-in-law, Kelly Jean Buchanan, the attempted murder of his brother, William Louis Buchanan, and assault with a knife on a heroic neighbor, Sergio Rangel, the D.A.’s Office said in a news release. “Buchanan also admitted that he personally used a knife in the assaults and that he inflicted great bodily injury during his attack on William Buchanan.”
The crime happened on July 16, 2023, at the Buchanan’s residence in Shandon, the D.A.’s news release said. “During an argument, the defendant used a knife to attack Kelly and William Buchanan. The attack on Mrs. Buchanan continued outside of the residence. A neighbor, Sergio Rangel, observed the defendant attacking Mrs. Buchanan and intervened, drawing the defendant away from her.”
Rangel was reportedly able to fend off his attacker “using several weapons to defend himself.” Mrs. Buchanan died from her injuries, but her husband survived the attack despite being “severely injured.”
District Attorney Dan Dow said, “The tragedy of family violence leaves a lasting effect on the entire family and our community. While this sentence will not bring Mrs. Buchanan back, it serves to punish the killer and to send a strong message to others that we will always hold offenders accountable to the maximum extent we can under California law.”
Given California’s lenient policies towards those convicted of crimes, including murder, there’s no telling how much time he will serve.
“Though the defendant was sentenced to serve an indeterminate sentence [‘to-life’],” the news release said, “due to California law and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation regulations being changed continuously, it is not possible to predict with certainty when he will be deemed eligible for early release.
“Even those inmates serving a prison sentence for murder are eligible for early release credits pursuant to the law passed by voters in November 2016. Prop 57 was called, ‘the Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016.”
The County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case along with the D.A.’s Bureau of Investigation. Dep. D.A.s Ashley Cervera and Bianca Aguayo were the prosecutors on the case. Victim Witness services were provided by Victim Advocate, Divina Diaz, and Witness Coordinators, Kellie Navarro and Eloiza Basinger.
