Monterey murder conviction overturned with new DNA testing

Salinas mother, Debbie Aguilar, knows what it is like to lose a loved one. In 2002 her son, Stephen Aguilar, was murdered. Justice has yet to be served. “If justice should come for me, or any of the others I know in this community, we pray it’s the right person, not just anyone. Justice sometimes might take 35, 40, or 50 years,” said Aguilar.

Just this month, a case over 30 years old made its way back to the court system. Jack Sagin, the man sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Monterey resident, Paula Durocher, is getting a second look. New DNA testing convinced an appeals court to grant Sagin a new trial.

“There was one DNA sample, one DNA profile, which came from a tooth pick which was used to scrap underneath her fingernails. That particular DNA didn’t match anybody. It didn’t match Sagin and it didn’t match any of the other individuals that I’ve talked to you about,” said Monterey County Chief Assistant District Attorney, Berkley Brannon.

Brannon said the Northern California Innocence Project (NCIP) asked the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office that the DNA be reexamined. “In 1986, when Jack was convicted, DNA testing was not used in criminal court rooms. They did not know about all of this DNA,” said NCIP attorney, Kelley Fleming.

Fleming said the appellate court’s decision is the result of 17 years of hard work and perseverance. Although Sagin has yet to be released from prison, NCIP plans to stand by him until he does. “If we end up back in court, we will fight like heck. If there’s more fighting to be done it will continue to happen in this case because Jack Sagin is innocent. We’re going to stand by him for the rest of his life, at least,” said Flemining.