Man Found Guilty of Trying to Kill Sports Anchor
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A jury found the man that tried to kill a San Diego Sports Anchor guilty.
House painter Mike Montana shot and nearly killed KFMB Sports Director Kyle Kraska (pictured) outside his home was convicted Wednesday of premeditated attempted murder and other charges.
Mike Montana was accused of shooting the sportscaster at least four times, apparently because of a disagreement over money. According to the testimony in his trial, Montana was hired for a job at Kraska’s home, but quit before the work was finished.
The San Diego Union Tribune reports that it took a San Diego Superior Court jury about a day to reach verdicts.
Kraska, who was seated in the courtroom, leaned over in his seat and rested his head on his hand when a clerk read the jurors’ decisions aloud. When he heard the word “guilty” the first time, he cried.
Kraska testified that he hired Montana to after finding a business card on his door one day. The two men set a $3,00 price for the work, of which Kraska would pay $800 up front and the rest when the job had been completed.
But Montana didn’t stick to that arrangement, Kraska said. He testified that the defendant often failed to show up for work and actually damaged some of his property.
Still, Kraska said, Montana kept asking for more money.
Montana quit the job before it was halfway completed, Kraska said. About three months later, the sportscaster was awakened early one morning by the sound of banging on his front door.
He found a letter on his doorstep signed by Montana, which read in part: “It’s in your best interest to pay me the money you owe me.”
About a week later, on Feb. 10, 2015, Montana showed up at Kraska’s house as the sportscaster was backing his car out of the driveway, leaving for work. Montana, who was driving a van, blocked Kraska’s Mercedes in the driveway and walked up to the driver’s side window.
Kraska said he heard the defendant say, “You should have paid me my $2,200.” Moments later, he heard heard gunshots.
Montana walked around the car firing his gun at the tires, at the hood and through the windows as Kraska scrambled in and out of the driver’s seat. Kraska testified he saw Montana point the gun directly at him at least once.
Deputy District Attorney Rebecca Zipp said the defendant fired the gun 11 times that day. “Only when he’s out of ammunition does he get in his van and leave,” she said in her closing arguments.
He got rid of the gun before he was arrested in El Cajon later that day. The weapon was never found.
Montana’s sentencing hearing has been set for Aug. 24 in front of Judge Michael Smyth. He faces a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
