OCEANSIDE, Calif.—The California Supreme Court Nov. 28 upheld the death sentence for a man convicted of gunning down an Oceanside police officer nearly two decades ago.
Adrian George Camacho, 47, was convicted of first-degree murder for the June 13, 2003, slaying of Officer Tony Zeppetella.
According to the court’s ruling, Zeppetella was shot at least 13 times and pistol-whipped as he lay wounded on the ground.
Along with murder, the jury found two special circumstance allegations true, that Camacho killed a police officer and that he did so to escape arrest.
The ruling states Zeppetella, then 27, approached Camacho’s car in the parking lot of a Navy Federal Credit Union on the afternoon of June 13….