# Jury Convicts Zachary Pickrell of Involuntary Manslaughter, Not Murder, in 2021 Shooting Death of Danilo Arauz Jr., 17, in Anaheim > An Orange County Superior Court jury on Oct. 13 convicted Zachary Pickrell, 23, of involuntary manslaughter — not second-degree murder — in the 2021 shooting death of 17-year-old Danilo Ashton Arauz Jr. in Anaheim. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 30 before Judge Patrick Donahue; Pickrell faces up to seven years but has approximately six years of credit for time served. - Canonical: https://ocint.app/situation/anaheim-pickrell-arauz-manslaughter-verdict-2026-10 - Markdown: https://ocint.app/situation/anaheim-pickrell-arauz-manslaughter-verdict-2026-10.md - JSON: https://ocint.app/api/situations/anaheim-pickrell-arauz-manslaughter-verdict-2026-10 - Status: active - As of: 2026-10-17T08:20:05.061+00:00 - Started: 2026-10-13T00:00:00+00:00 - Cities: Anaheim - Publisher: OCINT (https://ocint.app) ## Who / What / Where / When / Why **Who:** Defendant Zachary Pickrell, 23, represented by public defender Adam Vining; prosecuted by Senior Deputy DA Juliet Oliver; presiding Judge Patrick Donahue. **What:** Jury conviction of Zachary Pickrell for involuntary manslaughter (not second-degree murder) in the 2021 shooting death of Danilo Ashton Arauz Jr., 17; gun-use enhancement also found true. **Where:** Orange County Superior Court (verdict); original shooting at a studio in Arauz's Anaheim home. **When:** Shooting: Sept. 5, 2021. Arauz died: Sept. 9, 2021. Verdict: Oct. 13, 2026. Sentencing scheduled: Oct. 30, 2026. **Why:** Prosecution alleged an intentional shooting and cover-up; defense argued the firearm discharged accidentally and Pickrell was unaware it was loaded. Jury found criminal negligence but not malice. ## Narrative An Orange County Superior Court jury on Oct. 13, 2026, convicted Zachary Pickrell, 23, of **involuntary manslaughter** rather than second-degree murder in connection with the 2021 shooting death of Danilo Ashton Arauz Jr., 17, at Arauz's Anaheim home. As of Oct. 17, 2026 (PT), sentencing is set for **Oct. 30** before Judge Patrick Donahue. ## What Happened The shooting occurred in a studio at Arauz's Anaheim residence on Sept. 5, 2021; Arauz died four days later. Prosecutors alleged that Pickrell, described as a rival rapper, shot Arauz and then falsely told authorities the death resulted from a drive-by shooting. The defense, presented by public defender Adam Vining, argued the shooting was accidental and that Pickrell did not know the firearm was loaded. ## Verdict and Charges The jury sided with neither the full prosecution theory nor a complete acquittal, returning a guilty verdict on the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter. The jury also found a **gun-use enhancement** true. Acquittal on the second-degree murder count reflects the jury's apparent acceptance — at least in part — of the defense's accident argument, while the manslaughter conviction indicates the panel found criminal negligence in the handling of the firearm. ## Sentencing Pickrell faces a maximum of **seven years** in state prison, according to [MyNewsLA](https://mynewsla.com/crime/2026/10/14/anaheim-rapper-convicted-of-killing-rival-2/). He has accumulated approximately **six years of credit for time served**. Defense attorney Vining has indicated he will seek a treatment program rather than additional incarceration. Senior Deputy District Attorney Juliet Oliver prosecuted the case. *This page will be updated when the Oct. 30 sentence is imposed or if any pre-sentencing developments occur.* ## Timeline - **2021-09-05:** Zachary Pickrell shoots Danilo Ashton Arauz Jr., 17, in a studio at Arauz's Anaheim home. Pickrell initially tells authorities the shooting was a drive-by. - **2021-09-09:** Danilo Ashton Arauz Jr. dies of his injuries, four days after the shooting. - **2026-10-13:** Jury convicts Pickrell of involuntary manslaughter rather than second-degree murder. ## Primary sources 1. [Verdict (Oct. 13)](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/14/anaheim-man-convicted-in-shooting-death-of-rival-rapper/) 2. [Sentencing set (MyNewsLA)](https://mynewsla.com/crime/2026/10/14/anaheim-rapper-convicted-of-killing-rival-2/) ## Factoids - **Verdict (Oct. 13)** (source_doc) ([source](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/14/anaheim-man-convicted-in-shooting-death-of-rival-rapper/)): An Orange County Superior Court jury on Oct. 13 convicted Zachary Pickrell, 23, of involuntary manslaughter rather than second-degree murder in the 2021 shooting death of Danilo Ashton Arauz Jr., 17, in a studio at Arauz's Anaheim home. His public defender said the shooting was an accident and Pickrell did not know the gun was loaded; prosecutors noted Pickrell initially claimed a drive-by. Sentencing is expected in several weeks. - **Sentencing set (MyNewsLA)** (source_doc) ([source](https://mynewsla.com/crime/2026/10/14/anaheim-rapper-convicted-of-killing-rival-2/)): MyNewsLA reported Pickrell is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 30. The jury also found a gun-use enhancement true; he faces up to seven years and has about six years of credit for time served. His public defender, Adam Vining, said he would seek a treatment program instead of more jail. Judge Patrick Donahue presides; Senior Deputy District Attorney Juliet Oliver prosecuted. The victim was shot Sept. 5, 2021, and died four days later. - **Sentencing date (Oct. 30)** (source_doc) ([source](https://mynewsla.com/crime/2026/10/14/anaheim-rapper-convicted-of-killing-rival-2/)): Judge Patrick Donahue has scheduled sentencing for Oct. 30, 2026. The gun-use enhancement was found true; Pickrell faces up to seven years but has approximately six years of credit for time served. Public defender Adam Vining said he will seek a treatment program rather than additional jail time. --- Independent civic-intelligence aggregator for Orange County, CA. Not affiliated with the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center (OCIAC) or any government agency. 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