Man kills grocery worker acting as ‘peacemaker’ in scuffle, CA officials say
A man has been convicted in the death of a grocery store worker who rushed to help a co-worker in a late-night parking lot scuffle, California prosecutors say.
Demetrius Ford, 32, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the death of 54-year-old Juan Urvina, the Kern County District Attorney’s Office said in a July 14 news release.
An attorney for Ford did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on July 15.
Ford pleaded not guilty in May 2024, KGET reported.
Ford and a friend went to a Bakersfield grocery store to buy more drinks for a party the night of Jan. 1, 2023, prosecutors said.
When Ford realized the store was not open, he backed his car into a parked truck, prosecutors said.
A grocery store worker was sitting inside the truck “waiting for his midnight shift to begin,” prosecutors said.
The two spoke briefly, prosecutors said, then Ford started to walk back to his car,
As Ford walked away, the worker took a photo of him and his car with his phone, prosecutors said.
Ford grew angry and started hitting the worker, prosecutors said.
Two more workers, including Urvina, were in the parking lot and rushed to help the employee as Ford’s friend also joined in the scuffle, prosecutors said.
Urvina tried to be a “peacemaker,” but Ford threw him to the ground and turned his attention back to the other workers, prosecutors said.
“As Ford and his friend were assaulting one of the employees, Urvina got up and approached his co-worker who was being attacked,” prosecutors said.
Before he could intervene, however, “Ford forcefully punched Urvina in his face, causing him to immediately go limp, and fall down, with the back of his head striking the concrete surface,” according to prosecutors.
Urvina was taken to a hospital but “never regained consciousness,” prosecutors said, adding that he was pronounced dead the next day.
In addition to voluntary manslaughter, prosecutors said a jury also found Ford guilty of “assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury and involuntary manslaughter.”
“Ford’s decision to violently assault three employees without provocation was senseless and tragic,” Assistant District Attorney Joseph Kinzel said in the release. “Ford’s complete disregard for the value of Mr. Urvina’s life warrants the prison sentence that he should receive.”
Ford is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing Aug. 19 and faces up to 11 years in prison, prosecutors said.
Bakersfield is about a 110-mile drive north from Los Angeles.
This story was originally published July 15, 2025 at 1:21 PM with the headline "Man kills grocery worker acting as ‘peacemaker’ in scuffle, CA officials say."
