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Convicted cop killer sentenced to death in California

By Ray Downs

April 26 (UPI) -- A Mexican citizen in the United States illegally was sentenced to death on Wednesday for the killings of two California police officers in 2014.

Luis Bracamontes was convicted in February of killing Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputy Danny Oliver and Placer County Sheriff's Detective Mike Davis. The jury later recommended the death sentence, to which Bracamontes smiled and laughed in the Sacramento County courtroom at the time.

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On Wednesday, the judge handed down two death sentences. Bracamontes again laughed and even applauded, according to the Sacramento Bee, continuing the type of behavior he conducted throughout his trial.

The sentencing hearing was a chance for those affected by the killings to express why they believe Bracamontes should be killed for his crimes.

Anthony Holmes, who was shot by Bracamontes in the 2014 incident but survived, also spoke at the hearing.

"He shot me five times. He changed my life," Holmes said. "I just wanna say, man, we just need to hang him. For real. Because he messed up a lot of people's lives."

Susan Oliver, the wife of Deputy Danny Oliver, told Bracamontes he'll be reminded of the man he killed until he dies.

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"I do want to say to Luis Bracamontes that my husband is a hero. He lives forever," said Oliver said, according to the Sacramento Bee. "The chains that are on you -- that is my husband. When the sun doesn't shine on you -- that is my husband. When you can't choose what you want to eat -- that is my husband. He will stay with you every day, watch you, through the eyes of every law enforcement officer that you see. But he will leave you alone. He will leave you alone, the day you die -- old and alone."

The sentencing Wednesday ends a nearly four-year saga that began in October 2014 when Bracamontes and his wife, U.S. citizen Janelle Monroy, left their Utah home for California. According to testimony from Monroy, Bracamontes took heavy amounts of methamphetamine and alcohol during the road trip while exhibiting bizarre and paranoid behavior. Once they arrived in Sacramento, they topped in the parking lot of a Motel 6 when Oliver stopped them to ask questions. Bracamontes took out his gun and shot Oliver in the chest and then led police on a high-speed chase before shooting Detective Mike Davis.

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Although Bracamontes entered a not guilty plea, he admitted to killing the officers after he was found guilty.

"I'm going to kill more cops soon," he said after his conviction in February.

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