A 27-year-old Oakley man, Jose Quintanilla, is currently on trial for murder and conspiracy charges in the death of 21-year-old David Olivares. The incident occurred on Valentine’s Day, where Quintanilla is accused of orchestrating a plan to set up and kill Olivares, whom he believed had been involved with his wife. Prosecutors allege that Quintanilla arranged for his mistress, 24-year-old Sabrina Glenn, to message Olivares on Instagram and arrange a meeting at Woodland Hills Park in Pittsburg.
During the trial’s opening statement, Deputy District Attorney Kevin Bell informed the jury that Olivares was under the impression that he was going on a first date, unaware that he was moments away from being murdered. The defense does not dispute the existence of a criminal plot but argues that Quintanilla planned a robbery, not a murder. They also claim that there is no evidence placing Quintanilla at the park when Olivares was killed.
Key witnesses in the trial include Sabrina Glenn and Angel Rodriguez, both of whom have agreed to testify against Quintanilla in exchange for leniency. Glenn, who worked as an exotic dancer at the time, was allegedly manipulated by Quintanilla into feigning romantic interest in Olivares by fabricating a story of sexual assault. Rodriguez, a high school friend of Quintanilla, was involved in the plot due to a debt owed to Quintanilla.
Defense lawyer Alexander Guilmartin argued that Rodriguez, the sole witness claiming Quintanilla’s presence at the park, is an unreliable witness attempting to protect himself after being questioned by the police. Guilmartin also highlighted the recorded conversation between Quintanilla and Rodriguez in a police van, where Quintanilla expresses concern about Rodriguez’s cooperation with the authorities.
Both Sabrina Glenn and Angel Rodriguez have accepted plea deals for lesser crimes and will be sentenced after the trial concludes.
