10:07 AM PST on Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Associated Press

SALEM -- A jury in Marion County took four hours to find a local 18-year-old guilty of murder charges.

Alberto Navarro was charged in the death of Victor Ochoa-Garibay, 20, of Keizer. Ochoa-Garibay was shot March 10 during a fight with Navarro, and died about two weeks later.

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In closing arguments Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney Henry Loebe said Navarro was devastated by a breakup with a girlfriend, who had left him for Ochoa-Garibay.

Ochoa-Garibay didn't want to fight that day, Loebe said, but they did and Navarro lost. The defendant then pulled a gun as Ochoa-Garibay was walking away, shot him and then took off on a bicycle, Loebe said.

Navarro's attorney, John Storkel, said the facts of the case supported a charge of manslaughter, not murder.

Navarro will be sentenced Jan. 22 in Marion County Circuit Court.