The 2020 shooting of a pregnant woman that resulted in her death and that of her unborn child has netted the shooter a 28-years to life sentence, the Turlock Police Department reported.

Robert Penaloza Jr., 31, of Turlock was found guilty of two counts of voluntary manslaughter, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, committing a felony while out on bail and corporal injury to a spouse, which was from a separate case. Penaloza’s sentencing was on Aug. 4 in Stanislaus County Superior Court, but was only recently announced.

Penaloza’s conviction was for the death of Amythest Cortez, 27, of Gustine and that of her unborn child on Aug. 4, 2020 in Turlock. Penaloza had initially been charged with two counts of murder.

There were two people at the scene of the 1 a.m. shooting who identified Penaloza as the shooter. One was Cortez’s boyfriend — Steven Martinez — and the other was the woman he was with that night — Felicia Vigil.

The night began with Cortez finding Martinez and Vigil at the Turlock Inn at 701 Twentieth Century Blvd. and confronting them in the parking lot. Vigil wanted to leave the scene and asked to get her bag out of Martinez’s car, but he said he had to talk to Cortez first. Both Martinez and Cortez drove way from the motel in their respective vehicles and parked a few blocks away, according to the arrest affidavit for Penaloza.

Vigil spotted Penaloza at the motel and he agreed to give her a ride to get her bag out of Martinez’s car. They pulled up to the vehicles — Martinez was sitting in Cortez’s car — and Vigil got out to get her bag. She later told investigators that was when she heard the gunshot and then saw Penaloza speed away.

A single .40 caliber bullet was fired into the vehicle, through the driver’s side door, striking Cortez in the stomach. She was later rushed by emergency responders to a Modesto hospital, where she died from the gunshot wound. She was five and a half months pregnant at the time.

Neither Martinez or Vigil knew why Penaloza fired the gun that night, according to the affidavit.

Penaloza left the scene in a Chevrolet Silverado. The vehicle was found on Aug. 20 on Hawkins Road, set on fire.

Investigators developed information that Penaloza had fled to Mexico. That information was given to police in Mexico, who located Penaloza and arrested him on March 29, 2021. He was turned over to the U.S. Marshals and held at a jail in San Diego while his U.S. citizenship was proven.