Irvine man convicted of killing father to visit Internet girlfriend

A jury on Wednesday convicted an Irvine man of killing his father so he could meet up with his Internet girlfriend in Ohio.

Steven Bruno, 23, a former Corona del Mar High School student, shot his father in the chest and head in August 2012 before fleeing with his car, cash and credit cards.

Officials arrested him a day later in Colorado, the Daily Pilot reported.

Bruno had been headed for Toledo, Ohio, where he planned a rendezvous with a woman he had been communicating with online for months, according to Orange County prosecutors.

After two weeks of testimony and deliberations, jurors convicted Bruno of second-degree murder in the death of Ernest Bruno, 60, with a sentencing enhancement for personal discharge of a firearm causing death.

He faces 40 years to life in prison at his sentencing in December.

Lawyers for the son had argued that the killing wasn’t premeditated, that he was afraid of his father and had been contemplating suicide the night of the shooting. Steven Bruno only opened fire when his father came around a corner and charged at him, defense attorney Leonard Matsuk told jurors.

Ernest Bruno had cracked down on his son after he flunked out of a golf management program at Mississippi State University and couldn’t get a job back home, his attorneys said.

Ernest Bruno would also leave for days and lock his son out of the Irvine condominium where they lived, forcing Steven to find shelter in the garage, Matsuk said.

However, prosectuor Cynthia Herrera cast Steven Bruno as intent on meeting with his girlfriend, even if that meant killing his father.

“He was spoiled and he wanted his way,” Herrera said during opening statements.

Family members found Ernest Bruno’s body a day after the killing when they entered the condo and saw a pool of blood, prompting them to call police.

Steven Bruno had dragged the body into an office and locked the door before leaving for Ohio, prosecutors said.

Dobruck writes for Times Community News.

Follow the reporter on Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck