By Catherine Hamilton and Amy Berberyan
RIVERSIDE, CA – Riverside County Superior Court Judge Matthew Perantoni late last week sentenced Shaun Daniel Tara to life in state prison without possibility of parole, plus an additional 57 years, after a jury July 1 convicted Perantoni of first degree murder and attempted murder in the first degree.
In the sentencing hearing, the victim’s stepmother and father gave their testimonies. They both highlighted how much the victim meant to them, and how his death had torn their family apart.
The victim’s stepmother emphasized his role as a defender and a protector, especially his ties with a homeless community near where he lived.
The victim had lived in a storm tunnel as a way to cope after the loss of the love of his life, who passed 13 years before his murder. He had two stepchildren and one biological son with her.
Conflict between the victim and Tara started on July 29, 2020, when Tara and another man were involved in a drug-related disagreement that ended with Tara shooting the other man, who survived the murder attempt.
The victim criticized Tara for drawing scrutiny to the homeless population in the storm channel, which was near the scene of the attempted murder.
After multiple disagreeable exchanges online, Tara shot the victim in the storm channel on Aug. 17, 2020. The victim immediately died and Tara was taken into custody ten days later.
The victim’s father hopes that Tara “will never be released in his lifetime.” He even spoke directly to Tara, saying “not only did you take my son from me, but you took your mom’s son from her.”
The victim’s stepmother testified that she “[wants] nothing more than for him to spend the rest of his life paying for what he’s done,” and her wish came true.
Tara was sentenced to life in state prison without parole, and given an additional 57 years set to run consecutively; his charges include first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, firearm advancement, and the discharging of a firearm that caused great bodily harm.
