An Oxnard man who killed a man on Thanksgiving morning in 2019 and nearly killed another one hours earlier was sentenced on Feb. 8 to 33 years to life in state prison.
Seven family members of Robert Erbe, 55, looked on and his sister addressed the court as Forrest Robert Brantley, 40, was sentenced by San Diego Superior Court Judge Rachel Cano.
Brantley cut Erbe’s throat from his jawline to his ear outside a 7-Eleven store at 8 a.m. on Sports Arena Boulevard on Nov. 28, 2019, for no apparent reason, yelling “this is war” as he walked away, court records say.
“My brother’s life had meaning and you took that (away) from us… in the manner that you did it,” said Cynthia Arnold, the victim’s sister, who described Erbe as “a strong, kind, caring man.”
“I hope…that you will never be free again,” said Arnold, who read a letter from another brother who called Brantley “a coward.”
Cano imposed 25 years to life for first-degree murder for killing Erbe plus eight years consecutively for attempted murder of Steven Spears, who was stabbed in the back near a liquor store on Rosecrans Street. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and attempted murder in Nov.
“I don’t agree with the plea deal,” said Arnold. “It is nowhere near what my brother’s life is worth.”
The judge told the family members Brantley will have to serve 85% of the 8-year term and 25 actual years of the sentence for murder before he can be considered eligible for parole.
She ordered Brantley to pay $2,128.97 in restitution to the victim’s compensation fund, which helped pay for the victim’s funeral. Cano fined him $1,140.
Erbe was a Point Loma resident. He sat down beside Brantley at the 7-Eleven store and had a brief conversation with him before Brantley brandished a knife. Court records say Brantley becomes dangerous when he uses methamphetamine or bath salts.
Brantley did not make a statement in court. He received credit for 798 days in jail since his arrest on Dec. 4, 2019, in Ventura.
Deputy District Attorney William Hopkins said the murder was not only heinous to the victims’ family but also disruptive to his own children.
After Spears was stabbed, he ran to the nearby County Mental Hospital and an ambulance took him to an emergency room.
Police reviewed surveillance camera footage and saw the attacker wearing a black nylon ski mask. His 2000 Toyota Camry was found abandoned several days later in the parking lot of the Walgreens store at 3005 Midway Drive.
Brantley was on parole for a 2015 robbery in which he stole two crucifixes from a Spanish mission gift shop and used them to attack people, records say. He had been staying at a sober living facility in Oxnard.
