Sentencing for killers of Modesto teen delayed again

A sentencing hearing was rescheduled until next month in the case of two men convicted of murder in the 2004 drive-by shooting death of a 17-year-old girl.

In May, Edgar Barajas, 24, of Modesto and Jesus Rodriguez, 23, of Patterson were found guilty of murder in the fatal shooting of Ernestina "Tina" DeJesus Tizoc, who became the unintended target of gangland warfare while at a park in Modesto’s airport neighborhood.

Barajas and Rodriguez were scheduled for a sentencing hearing Wednesday morning, but the judge granted defense attorneys more time to prepare to submit a motion for a new trial. The judge scheduled the sentencing hearing for Sept. 16.

Along with the murder charges, Barajas and Rodriguez were convicted of committing the crime for a street gang, conspiracy to commit murder, using a gun and participating in a criminal street gang. They each face a minimum sentence of 50 years to life in prison and a maximum of 100 years to life, according to the Stanislaus County district attorney’s office.

This story was originally published August 11, 2011 at 9:51 AM with the headline "Sentencing for killers of Modesto teen delayed again."