DATE:  March 4, 2022

CASE:  David Saechao & Lai Saechao (Case #18FE014155)

PROSECUTOR:  Deputy District Attorney Brad Ng, Homicide Unit

The Honorable Maryanne Gilliard sentenced David Saechao to life in prison without the possibility of parole.  On December 9, 2019, a jury convicted David Saechao and Lai Saechao of the first-degree murder of Guofang Wang.  The jury also found the special circumstance that the murder was committed during the commission of a burglary. Judge Gilliard previously sentenced Lai Saechao to life in prison without the possibility of parole on January 17, 2020.

The victim operated an indoor marijuana grow. In June 2018, David Saechao and Lai Saechao broke into the victim’s house to steal marijuana grow equipment.  The victim was home during the burglary and was assaulted by the defendants.  During the assault, the victim bit David Saechao and scratched Lai Saechao before he died from multiple blunt force injuries and strangulation.  The District Attorney’s Crime Lab analyzed DNA from blood found at the crime scene and fingernail scrapings from the victim, which resulted in a match to David Saechao and Lai Saechao.

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