Euren Balbuena: 33-year-old murder convict gets punched by victim's stepfather during sentencing in California court

VENTURA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: A California man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death in front of her mother was attacked by the victim’s stepfather during his sentencing, authorities said.

Euren Balbuena, 33, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 33 years to life in prison for killing 31-year-old Zaira Patino-Trejo in 2020.

Euren Balbuena had a history of domestic violence with Zaira Patino-Trejo

According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Balbuena and Patino-Trejo had a “history of domestic violence in the relationship.”

On February 27, 2020, they were arguing in their Simi Valley apartment when Patino-Trejo’s mother, Ariadna Avetisyan, came to check on her daughter.

She saw “signs of more abuse on her daughter’s face” and tried to intervene. Balbuena didn't let Patino out of the apartment. 

Balbuena then grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Avetisyan twice in the head before turning on Patino-Trejo.

He stabbed her more than 30 times with multiple knives, killing her.

Avetisyan managed to escape and call 911. Police arrived and arrested Balbuena. He was charged with murder three days later.

Officers then went into the apartment and found Patino Trejo dead in the kitchen. She had multiple stab wounds, police said at the time. 

An altercation in court on Euren Balbuena's sentencing 

Balbuena was convicted by a jury on November 21, 2023, of murder in the first degree, battery causing great bodily injury, and assault with a deadly weapon against Patino-Trejo's mother.

On Thursday, 18 January, Balbuena was sentenced to 33 years to life in prison by Ventura County Superior Court Judge Bruce Young.

During the proceedings, a “brief altercation” broke out as victim impact statements were being read in court, the DA’s office said in a news release. 

The victim's mother Avetisyan was reading her statement when her husband, the victim’s stepfather, lunged at Balbuena and punched him at least once, Ventura County Star reported. 

Bailiffs quickly separated the two men and restored order. The DA’s office did not say if the stepfather would face any charges for the attack, the outlet reported. 

Zaira Patino-Trejo was a vibrant young woman with a bright future

Patino-Trejo worked as a client associate for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, the Simi Valley Acorn reported.

She was described by her family and friends as a “vibrant young woman with a bright future."

“Zaira Patino-Trejo was such a vibrant young woman with a bright future,” Supervising Senior Deputy District Attorney Melissa Suttner said in a statement.

“We cannot replace her unimaginable loss, but we pursued justice for Zaira and her family.

"We hope that this sentence brings some small relief to her family, knowing that Euren Balbuena was held accountable for her brutal murder,” Suttner added.