A Kern County jury found Christopher Kaulaity guilty of the First-Degree Murder of his aunt, Maria Carmen Torrez. The jury also found Kaulaity guilty of personally using a deadly weapon during the crime.
In a separate verdict, the jury rejected Kaulaity’s claim that he was legally insane at the time of the murder.
This case was prosecuted by Deputy DA Cole Sherman.
Kaulaity and the victim lived together in a home that was shared with seven other adult family members. On December 6, 2024, a family argument involving Kaulaity and his aunt occurred over issues with the single toilet in the residence clogging. Over the next 24 hours, tension built in the house and multiple family members warned Kaulaity that if problems continued, he and his adult sister would have to move out. On December 7, 2024, the victim was on her way to the bathroom and while passing Kaulaity in the hallway, she insulted him. While the victim was in the bathroom, Kaulaity went to his bedroom where he retrieved pepper spray and a knife. Kaulaity then kicked open the bathroom door, pepper sprayed his aunt “to blind her,” and then stabbed her repeatedly in her back and neck.
After stabbing Ms. Torrez seven times, Kaulaity called 9-1-1 and explained that he had just stabbed his aunt to death. Kaulaity was interviewed by KCSO detectives that afternoon and he explained in detail what he had done and why.
During the trial, the defense argued that Kaulaity had mental health disorders that caused hallucinations and left him unaware of his actions, but the jury rejected this after considering his behavior on the day of the murder and hearing from another psychologist’s testimony that explained that Kaulaity knew what he was doing was wrong.
DA Zimmer commented; “Kaulaity’s murder of his aunt was a tragic act against a woman who should have been safe inside her home. The District Attorney’s Office and its prosecutors are committed to seeking justice, against individuals like Kaulaity, who commit violent crimes and attempt to excuse their behavior through unwarranted claims of insanity.”
Sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2026. Kaulaity faces a sentence of up to 26 years to life in prison