Rocha found guilty of first-degree murder

Defense attorney plans to appeal verdict

EPHRATA - A delivery man was found guilty Monday of murdering an acquaintance during a confrontation two years ago in a northern Moses Lake neighborhood.

A Grant County jury took between three to four hours Monday morning to reach a verdict in the two-week murder trial of Epanlito "Paul" Rocha, said Ed Owens of the Grant County Prosecutor's Office.

Rocha, 42, of Moses Lake, could face between 28 to 36 years in prison for killing forklift driver Michael Reyes, 28, of Moses Lake, during an apparent argument over money.

The dispute was believed to have been between Reyes, a father of five children, and another unnamed name referred to as "Little Man."

It's believed Reyes was following Little Man that evening to collect a debt, and Little Man apparently asked Rocha for protection.

Rocha reportedly shot Reyes, who died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

Rocha was found guilty of first-degree murder with a deadly weapons enhancement, Owens said.

Rocha has four prior felony convictions of two burglaries, drug possession and unlawful possession of a firearm, Owens said.

Rocha's Moses Lake attorney, Robert Schiffner, said he plans to appeal the case because the judge didn't grant a mistrial after juror Colleen Hill realized her son may have attended a party near where the shooting occurred.

Nine other jurors said they heard Hill's conversation with a bailiff about her son, which happened on the trial's second day.

Hill was excused from jury duty and an alternate juror was put in her place. The other jurors were allowed to remain serving on the jury.

Schiffner said he disagreed with Judge Kenneth Jorgensen not allowing the jury to know Reyes allegedly had methamphetamine and cocaine in his system, a topic discussed during pretrial proceedings and breaks.

"I think there are some very viable appellate issues," Schiffner said.

Owens said the prosecution joined in on Schiffner's motion for a mistrial over jury issues "to play is safe."

"I feel it was a fairly clean trial," Owens said.

Rocha's sentencing is May 12, according to the Grant County Clerk's Office.