A 25-year-old Olivehurst man has been sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison for his role in a fatal shooting during a community gathering earlier this year, as Action News Now reported. Yuba County Superior Court Judge Debra L. Givens handed down the prison sentence on Monday to Namee Najarro, who previously entered a plea of no contest to a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Benito Valle.
The formal sentencing resolves one portion of a major homicide investigation conducted by the Yuba County Sheriff's Office and prosecuted by the Yuba County District Attorney's Office. The fatal shooting occurred on the evening of March 20, 2026, along Sixth Avenue in Olivehurst. Emergency dispatchers received a 911 call for service from the residential area, prompting an immediate response from Yuba County Sheriff's deputies to the scene of the incident.
Upon arriving on Sixth Avenue, responding deputies discovered a large crowd of people who had gathered together for a celebration of life event. In the midst of the gathering, deputies located Valle, who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds during an altercation that broke out at the event. Emergency medical personnel rushed Valle by ambulance from the scene in Olivehurst across the Feather River to Adventist Health Rideout in Marysville. Valle was pronounced dead at the hospital as a direct result of the gunshot injuries he suffered during the shooting.
In the aftermath of the shooting, a detective from the Yuba County Sheriff's Office took charge of the primary investigation to determine the sequence of events that led to the violence on Sixth Avenue. Through extensive interviews with witnesses who were present at the celebration of life, law enforcement officers were able to piece together the specific timeline and circumstances that triggered the fatal encounter.
According to witness statements gathered by investigators, a verbal disagreement took place earlier in the evening before the shooting occurred. The dispute began when Valle directly confronted another individual, identified by authorities as Adrian Vega, regarding accusations that Vega was disrespecting a woman attending the event. Following that initial confrontation, Adrian Vega departed from the Sixth Avenue location. However, authorities stated that Adrian Vega returned to the celebration of life a short time later, accompanied by two other individuals: his brother, Jesus Vega Jr., and Najarro.
Upon the trio's return to Sixth Avenue, a physical fight erupted between the parties involved. Authorities stated that as the fight escalated, both Adrian Vega and Najarro drew firearms and fired shots at Valle, inflicting the deadly injuries. Following the gunfire, Najarro attempted to evade law enforcement by fleeing the immediate region. The day after the shooting occurred, agents with the United States Border Patrol intercepted and arrested Najarro as he attempted to flee across the border into Mexico.
Following his arrest by federal authorities and subsequent return to Yuba County, court proceedings moved forward in the judicial system. On September 22, Najarro entered a formal plea of no contest to second-degree murder, setting the stage for Monday's sentencing hearing before Judge Givens in Yuba County.
The legal cases against the two co-defendants named by law enforcement remain at different stages within the court system. Jesus Vega Jr. entered a no-contest plea to a charge of felony assault with a firearm for his specific participation in the physical fight that preceded the shooting. The sentencing date for Jesus Vega Jr. remains currently pending in court.
Meanwhile, Adrian Vega entered a plea of not guilty to the charges filed against him in connection with the fatal incident. His criminal trial is currently scheduled to begin in April of 2027. In public statements regarding the ongoing prosecution, the Yuba County District Attorney's Office emphasized that Adrian Vega is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
