Christian Bobila sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of his in-laws in Valley Center

Generic image of a court gavel. (AdobeStock)

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A man was sentenced to life in prison for killing his father and brother-in-law in 2022 in Valley Center, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced Friday.

Christian Bobila, 46, was convicted by a jury in March of two counts of first-degree murder following the deaths of his father and brother-in-law in Valley Center in June 2022.

The shooting death of his in-laws came after what the court described as a “long-standing family schism” that developed after Bobila married his wife without his father-in-law's blessing.

According to the court, after traveling all the way from the Bay Area to Valley Center, armed with a semi-automatic pistol, Bobila shot and killed his brother-in-law, Vincent Reyes, as he spoke to the phone, planning an upcoming trip. business trip. Six bullets were fired, hitting Vincent three times.

Bobila then went to an upstairs bedroom where his stepfather, Vicente Reyes, was in a recliner watching a movie with a glass of wine. The court says Bobila's wife tried to intervene at that point, but Bobila still shot Vicente in the chest and head.

After the shooting, Bobila came downstairs and told his mother-in-law that her son was dead while showing her the patio. She ran outside and found her son face up, wearing a “Just Married” t-shirt, with a date a few weeks before.

Bobila then fled the scene in his car and was arrested a mile from the Reyes' home.

On Friday, May 31, Bobila was sentenced to two terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 50 years in state prison.

“This is a horrific murder that has senselessly devastated an entire family,” DA Stephan said. “While there is no substitute for the deaths of both victims, I hope their surviving family members receive justice through the murder convictions and sentence handed down today.” »