By Nora Dahl and Cheyenne Galloway
MODESTO, CA– Paul Anthony Rosas faced attempted murder charges here this week in Stanislaus County Superior Court Department 1—through his attorney, Rosas claimed it was an act of self-defense, and because of scant evidence the prosecution did not pursue the charge.
The alleged act of “self-defense” resulted in the death of Tyler Fidel in 2019 after, allegedly, Fidel showed up at the home of Rosas after an undisclosed altercation with his girlfriend.
Fidel, said Rosa, allegedly attempted to run over Rosas with his car, resulting in Rosas’s ultimately shooting Fidel with an illegal firearm.
The sister of the deceased Fidel read from a letter with the intention of healing from her brother’s death. 
In the letter she had written, “Paul killed my brother, I remember it as if it was yesterday and not almost a year ago. I was woken up by a phone call at midnight being told my brother had been shot in the head.”
She added the state of her brother: he was unresponsive as his brain swelled. The neurosurgeon informed the family that there was no surgery that could be done to save him.
Ultimately, the victim was left brain dead after the bullet wound; nevertheless his body remained alive, which allowed the victim’s family to conduct five successful organ transplants.
Fidel was able to donate his two kidneys, his liver, his lungs, and his heart. Fidel’s sister sniffled as she declared that her brother Tyler’s “life lives on in the bodies of five lucky people.”
The family of the victim requested the maximum sentence. But the prosecution submitted a sentencing brief that included “a maximum of three years and six months based on the defendant’s prior record, primarily given the numerous number of prior felony convictions and prison sentences.”
Law enforcement has conducted a search of Rosas’ house, and there is nothing before the court that would suggest Rosas is currently in possession of this firearm, said the prosecution.
As a result, Rosas is ordered to pay a $600 state restitution fund fine, a $600 parole revocation fine, which remains pending completion of his parole, a $80 court security fee and a $60 criminal conviction assessment.
