Tuolumne County Man Resentenced In 1982 Murder Case

Published Nov 13, 2026 3:43 pm

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Sonora, CA– A man sentenced to death for a 1982 murder in Tuolumne County has been resentenced to 25 years to life in prison following a recommendation by the District Attorney’s Office.

Keith Adcox, 65, was resentenced on October 30th, 2026, for the first-degree murder of David Orozco. The decision followed years of post-conviction legal proceedings and came before Governor Gavin Newsom announced clemency decisions affecting California death row inmates on November 5th. District Attorney Cassandra Jenecke said the office recommended the sentence after weighing the legal challenges in the case, the difficulties of a potential retrial, and concerns about public safety. Orozco’s family supported the decision.

The case returned to Tuolumne County Superior Court in 2018 after the California Supreme Court transferred Adcox’s habeas corpus claims for review. The claims remained unaddressed until 2024, when the District Attorney’s Office brought the petition to the court’s attention. In December 2025, the court ruled that hearsay evidence could be considered in Adcox’s petition alleging juror misconduct. That ruling raised the possibility of a retrial. Prosecutors said a retrial would have been complicated by the deaths of necessary witnesses and the loss of exhibits from the original trial. Adcox’s co-defendant, Howard Love, was offered a sentence of 25 years to life during jury selection in his separate trial in El Dorado County. Love died in state prison in 2019.

Jenecke said the office reviewed mitigating evidence submitted by Adcox’s attorneys, consulted with the prosecutor who handled the 1982 case and state appellate attorneys, and met with Orozco’s family, Adcox and his attorney before reaching its decision. Under the agreement, Adcox waived all known habeas corpus claims, including those involving alleged juror misconduct, in exchange for the new sentence. He will be eligible for a parole hearing but is not automatically entitled to release.

The District Attorney’s Office said Adcox will have to demonstrate to the Board of Parole Hearings that his release would not pose an unreasonable risk to public safety. His rehabilitation and risk of violent reoffending will be evaluated as part of that process. Prosecutors and Orozco’s family may participate in the hearing. Adcox was resentenced by Judge David Beyersdorf. Orozco’s youngest son attended the hearing.

Tuolumne County had one inmate on death row. Adcox’s resentencing took place shortly before Newsom announced clemency decisions for condemned inmates statewide. In a statement, Jenecke criticized the governor’s actions, arguing that each case should receive an individualized review and that victims’ families, prosecutors, and law enforcement officials should have been consulted. Jenecke said the Adcox decision required months of research and consultation with Orozco’s family and legal experts.

“Knowing the amount of time and effort that we spent making this decision in one case makes the Governor’s blanket clemency orders and requests even more frustrating and disappointing. The way he chose to exercise his authority, who he shut out, and the accountability he chose to avoid flies in the face of justice and is inconsistent with California values,” Jenecke said.

She said the resentencing was intended to balance the circumstances of the case, public safety, and the Orozco family’s desire for finality.