A California man, aged 26, has been sentenced to a minimum of 47 years in prison for the murder of his close friend. Sean Joseph Hawksworth was ordered by San Diego Superior Court Judge Patricia Cookson to serve his sentence in a state correctional facility. Hawksworth was found guilty of several felonies, including murder, residential burglary, grand theft, and illegal possession of a firearm.
The crime was described as “willful, deliberate and premeditated” by San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan. She expressed hope that the sentencing would bring some closure and justice to the victim’s family, who were left devastated by the violent act.
The fatal incident occurred on October 20, 2023, in the victim’s home in Ramona, California, a town located approximately 120 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Hawksworth shot the victim, Eduargo Aguilar Alba, in the head while he was asleep in his apartment. After the murder, Hawksworth proceeded to rob the apartment, stealing Alba’s Camaro, clothing, and designer sneakers.
Hawksworth then placed Alba’s body in a trash can and continued to return to the crime scene multiple times, attempting to cover up his actions. He continued his drug-dealing activities as if nothing had happened. The stolen items were later found in a storage unit rented by Hawksworth, which he had transferred into his brother’s name.
During the sentencing, Judge Cookson criticized Hawksworth for his actions, particularly the robbery that followed the murder, describing it as demonstrating “a high degree of callousness.” Alba’s parents, who described their son as a quiet individual with a big heart, were left in disbelief that their son’s life was taken by someone he considered a close friend.
Hawksworth addressed the court during his sentencing, expressing his condolences to Alba’s family. He stated that he never anticipated such an outcome when he first met Alba and that he never intended for this to happen.