Murder suspect found guilty, sentencing set for August

IMPERIAL COUNTY (KYMA, KECY) - A jury in Imperial County found Steven Ambriz guilty on June 12 of this year.

In a press release, Ambriz was found guilty on three of the four counts, such as first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a felon and unlawful possession of ammunition.

The Imperial County District Attorney's Office says the case was a result of the murder of Jordan Schmidt after the Brawley Police Department "received a call of a body near a landfill and Brawley cemetery on the outskirts of the city off of Western Avenue" on December 15, 2021.

Once the Imperial County Sheriff's Office (ICSO) took over, the DA's office says Ambriz held Schmidt hostage, "drove him to the outskirts of Brawley," and killed him.

After Ambriz was arrested for Schmidt's murder in July of 2022, Ambriz was charged with four counts, including first-degree murder, kidnapping, felon in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of ammunition, but Ambriz was not found guilty on the kidnapping charge, according to the DA's office.

Sentencing is said to be set for August 6, and Ambriz is facing up to 75 years-to-life in prison.