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Carlos Sanchez listens as Judge Susan K. Sniegowski of Oceana County’s 51st Circuit Court hands down his life sentence for a murder conviction Nov. 13, 2023. OCP file photo
By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
HART — The Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed the 2023 murder conviction of Carlos Andres Sanchez, 35, of Muskegon.
Sanchez was found guilty by a jury, Sept. 21, 2023 of first-degree murder and felony firearm for shooting and killing a 28-year-old Miguel Angel Gutierrez of Muskegon with a handgun June 12, 2022.
Sanchez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in Oceana County’s 51st Circuit Court, Nov. 13, 2023.
A nine-page opinion signed by three judges, dated March 18, 2025 upholds Sanchez’s conviction. “Basically, they’re saying there were no errors in the trial; the conviction stands; and the sentence was good and appropriate,” said Oceana County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Bizon.
Miguel Gutierrez, the murder victim
The murder occurred around noon Sunday, June 12, 2022 in the backyard of a Rothbury area residence at 8537 S. Robinhood Dr. in Grant Township — the home of Crystal Ramona Gonzalez.
After murdering Gutierrez, Sanchez immediately fled the scene southbound on US 31 in his white pickup truck, but was quickly captured by law enforcement in Muskegon County. Testimony revealed that the victim suffered seven gunshot wounds.
“He just got out of his truck; walked towards us; and started shooting,” said Crystal Gonzalez. She testified that Sanchez is the father of her children.
The motive for the murder appeared to be a “wife swap” situation. “Carlos was messing with (Gutierrez’s) baby mama, (and) we were just going to talk to each other and get to know each other,” she said of Gutierrez. Gonzalez testified that Gutierrez had spent the previous three nights at her home prior to the murder.
“Ms. Gonzalez provided testimony indicating that she had an intermittent relationship with the defendant,” states the judges’ opinion. “Subsequently, she discovered the defendant with another individual, Marissa Garcia, which prompted her to engage in a relationship with Gutierrez, who was, notably, Garcia’s ex-boyfriend in order to ‘retaliate’ against the defendant.”
Crystal Gonzalez testifies during a preliminary exam in Oceana County’s 79th District Court.
– OCP file photo
“It’s a pretty standard appeal,” said Bizon. “Any time you have a trial, you have an automatic right to an appeal.”
The appeal was based on a “challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence for the element of premeditation, which got no traction with the court at all, because there is plenty of evidence of it.” The appeal also claimed “ineffective assistance of counsel. They threw a few things out there — kind of like throwing spaghetti at the wall — because the attorney did a great job on the case.” Sanchez’s attorney was Julie Springstead Waltz.
Police investigate the murder scene on Robinhood Drive near Rothbury. – OCP file photo
The appeal was filed by the State Appellate Defenders Office, which was appointed to handle the appeal, explained Bizon. “If you’re an indigent
defendant — and if you’re going to prison you’re going to be indigent — they can apply for a court-appointed appellate attorney. It’s a state-funded appointed attorney.
“Theoretically, he could file for leave to appeal in the Michigan Supreme Court,” said Bizon. It’s doubtful that will happen. “Based on what the court of appeals found, it was unanimous and fairly clear cut.” After all state appeals are exhausted, a defendant can appeal to the federal courts.
Sanchez had no known prior criminal record, said Bizon. He is currently incarcerated in the Saint Louis Correctional Facility in Gratiot County, according to Michigan Department of Corrections records.
“It’s a relief to have that part done. We know this is part of the process. We were very comfortable with the conviction from the very beginning. We knew that working with the attorney that she did her job, and she did it right and she did it well. We knew it was a solid conviction.”
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