Gov. Gavin Newsom took the unusual step this week of reversing a state panel’s decision to parole a woman who pleaded guilty of torturing and murdering a teenager more than 20 years ago in east Bakersfield.
On Wednesday, Newsom signed an order overruling the California Board of Parole Hearings’ April 17 move to release Maricruz Galaviz, saying the 47-year-old poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison.
Although Galaviz has “demonstrated sincere remorse” and taken accountability for her brutal treatment of the victim, the governor noted, he pointed to her statement at a parole hearing earlier this year that she was “an angry person at the time” who wanted to be feared and was upset because she believed the victim had stolen drugs.
“I have determined that Ms. Galaviz must do some additional work to deepen her insight and self-awareness into the causative factors of the crime before she can be safely released,” Newsom stated in the order announced Friday by the Kern County District Attorney’s Office.
DA Cynthia Zimmer applauded the reversal in a news release Friday that said her office was “deeply disturbed” by the parole board’s decision in light of a crime she called heinous and heartless.
“Today marks a significant victory in our ongoing fight to ensure that (the victim) Amanda Zubia receives the justice she rightfully deserves,” Zimmer stated.
Galaviz was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after pleading guilty in 2004 of first-degree murder.
The DA’s Office said she and her crime partners beat Zubia, burned her with cigarettes and choked her by placing a plastic bag down her throat that had been covered with insect repellent. The victim’s body was later found encased in cement inside a barrel found in east Bakersfield.
The DA’s Office said it had no records on how often the governor intervenes in decisions to grant parole to inmates, but it said such instances are rare.
Newsom’s office normally has up to 120 days after the board grants parole to make a decision on whether to stop it. In the case of Galaviz, he opted to reverse the parole ruling after just 90 days.
In explaining his decision, the governor acknowledged Galaviz had made strides toward rehabilitation, including by earning a high school diploma and two associate degrees and completed three vocational training programs.
He referenced a 2023 psychological evaluation concluding she posed a low risk of future violence. But he noted the psychologist’s assessment that Galaviz also has a history of antisocial behavior, relationship instability and use of illegal substances.
Although Galaviz reported she has been sober since 2015, she told the parole board earlier this year she was not “actively practicing recovery” until December. The governor said childhood trauma had shaped her life and choices and that her mental health symptoms appear to be managed with the use of medication.
But her ability to keep up with her medication and treatment has not been tested outside of prison, Newsom stated, adding she will face “significant stressors” that will challenge her ability to practice the self-awareness and coping skills she will need if paroled.
He encouraged Galaviz to further develop her parole plans and extend her social supports before coming before the parole board again within about a year and a half.
“I find that Ms. Galaviz needs to demonstrate a longer sustained period of sobriety with recovery efforts that address the underlying causes of her use and triggers for her antisocial conduct,” Newsom stated.
“I also find that Ms. Galaviz must further develop her parole plans before she can be safely released,” he continued. “Strong, healthy social supports will be particularly important for Ms. Galaviz’s success on parole.”