A Kern County Jury found Juan Carlos Toscano, Javier Angel Ontiveros, and Garret Sebastian Cole guilty of first-degree murder and found true the special circumstance that the murder occurred during the course of a robbery, among other charges.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Cyrus Shahbazian.
On October 27, 2025, a fourth person prosecuted in the same case, Edrich Esquer Rubio, plead no contest to first degree robbery in concert with others.
On September 23, 2022, two victims, friends from Long Beach, California, drove up to Bakersfield to purchase “lean” (promethazine/codeine). When they arrived in Bakersfield, they were told to enter a detached garage located at 304 Real Road where the transaction was to take place. Once inside, Defendant Cole and Defendant Toscano drew firearms and Defendant Ontiveros and Defendant Rubio entered with masks and rifles. The four held the victims at gun point, taking $8,000, a cell phone, wallet, and keys. A struggle ensued, and Defendants Cole and Toscano shot one of the victims, Taylor Poulin, in the head. One round entered the victim’s head from the right cheek, going through his brain, and exiting the back. The other round entered through the right temple and out the back of his head. The surviving victim was placed inside the trunk of a vehicle but managed to escape. Defendants Cole, Ontiveros, and Rubio took the deceased victim’s body to Arizona where they attempted to bury him and cover their tracks. Evidence led officers to the defendants, as well as the victim’s body in Arizona.
DA Zimmer commented; “These criminals went to great lengths to carry out their crimes and conceal their actions. Through diligent investigative work by law enforcement and successful prosecution, Toscano, Ontiveros, and Cole will spend the rest of their lives behind bars, ensuring they can never again pose a threat to our community.”
The case is pending a bench trial on aggravating factors, which is for August 19, 2026. Defendants Toscano, Ontiveros, Cole each face life in prison without the possibility of parole