Man Sentenced in Madera Court to Life in Prison for Deadly Shooting of Estranged Wife in Front of Her 3 Children

Julio Garay, convicted of murdering his estranged wife in July 2020. Photo: Madera Police Department

MADERA, CA (KMJ) – A man is convicted of murdering his estranged wife in front of her three children is sentenced Wednesday in Madera.

Julio Garay was arrested in July of 2020, Madera Police say that’s when he killed his ex-wife, Calley Jean Garay.

On July 14, she was in Madera, getting into her van when Garay shot her outside the Camarena Healthcare clinic.

Police say he shot her two more times as she laid across her three young children – one of them six-years-old, the others younger, trying to protect them from the gunfire.

“Although this will never bring Calley back, we hope this will continue the healing process for Calley’s family and comfort those affected by her tragic loss,” said the Madera Police Department in a statement

Julio Garay was found guilty of lying in wait, first-degree murder, assault with a semiautomatic weapon, and three counts of child abuse.

Garay was sentenced on November 17, 2021 in Madera County Court to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The death of Calley Jean Garay inspired a new California law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Calley’s Law revises domestic violence restraining order forms to prevent third-parties from releasing information to an alleged abuser.

Listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern.