Janitor Convicted Of First-Degree Murder In Placerville Principal Shooting

PLACERVILLE (CBS13) – John Luebbers, the Placerville school janitor who gunned down a school principal in 2011, has been convicted of first-degree murder with gun enhancements.

At around 1:24 p.m. Monday the El Dorado County jury announced it had reached a verdict in the slaying of popular Schnell School Principal Sam LaCara about two and a half hours after starting deliberations.

The prosecution wrapped up their case last Wednesday after a ballistics and pathology expert took the stand to testify that bullets found in John Luebbers' .357 magnum matched bullets found in the victim, Schnell School Principal Sam LaCara, 50.

Luebbers, the former head custodian at the school, shot and killed LaCara in February of last year, a few days after the two golfed together. Witnesses say Luebbers was upset he didn't get enough input into a hiring decision on a night janitor. He entered LaCara's office and shot him three times with a .357.

"Justice was served. Placerville lived up to its name of swift justice, old Hangtown," one of LaCara's friends said after the verdict.

But Kara Tracy, a school employee who testified in the case, said the verdict didn't make things any easier. "It can't bring our principal Sam LaCara back. His girls are without a father," she said. "There is no justice."

But a parent of the school said the first-degree murder verdict was important. "For me and my kids, the fact they see justice actually happens," Jennifer Winter said. "The worst thing would have been if he had got off."

The defense wanted the judge to allow the jury to consider a manslaughter conviction, but he rejected that option on Thursday afternoon. Luebbers' attorney David Cramer already conceded in his opening statement that his client killed LaCara, but he argued that the shooting came in the heat of the moment.

But Cramer didn't offer any new evidence on Tuesday and didn't put Luebbers on the stand.

"I just don't think the evidence would come out the way I wanted it," he said. "Mr. (Joe) Alexander is a very good DA."

Sentencing is set for June 15, when Luebbers will face a term of 25 years to life in prison.