Lonnberg sentenced 30 years to life

The Gilroy woman found guilty of second-degree murder on July 30 for killing her daughter and husband in an alcohol and drug-fueled car crash will spend the next three decades inside a California prison.
Stacy Lonnberg, 52, was handed down a sentence Friday of 30 years to life by U.S. District Judge Ron Del Pozzo, without the possibly of probation. It marks the ending chapter of a case that began Jan. 14, 2012 when the defendant flipped her Toyota Tacoma on Highway 85 in Los Gatos, killing her 26 year-old daughter, Tiffiny Gillette, and husband, 57 year-old Fred Lonnberg.
Gillette was pronounced dead at the scene while Fred Lonnberg was rushed to the hospital but died a few hours later. Lonnberg’s 18-month-old grandson was in the back seat during the wreck, but escaped unharmed.
Making a tearful plea in Dept. 40 of the Hall of Justice in San Jose, Lonnberg addressed the court, reading from a prepared statement scribbled on a yellow piece of paper.
“Jan. 14, 2012 blew a hole in me that will never heal,” she said. “I love my family; I love my husband; I love my daughter. I don’t blame (my family) for hating me. I hate myself for what happened – but it was an accident. I would never put my family or anybody else’s family in danger.”
Her words cut no ice with Del Pozzo or prosecuting Deputy District Attorney Matthew Braker.
The accident could have been prevented, they claimed, had Lonnberg not chosen to get behind the wheel with a blood alcohol level of .20 and oxycodone in her system. Even Lonnberg’s defense attorney Javier Rios said outside the courtroom Friday his client was “loaded” the night of the accident.
“Probation is not a reasonable thing in this case,” Del Pozzo said. “Two people were killed here and it was very foreseeable that this would happen, because she admitted on the stand that she drove hundreds, maybe thousands of times, drunk over the last 20 or 30 years. It was just a matter of time before you killed somebody. It was almost inevitable.”
“I know I have a disease,” Lonnberg decried. “I don’t drink every day but I know I have a disease and I know it is not an excuse. I know I need help with it. But to tell me I murdered my family is just incomprehensible. I didn’t set out to kill my family. I’ve suffered also.”
Lonnberg claimed was used to taking an 80-milligram extended release form of the painkiller, but on the day of the accident, she instead popped a 30-milligram instant release oxycodone pill that had been prescribed to her daughter.
Del Pozzo didn’t buy Lonnberg’s explanation that she had a “bad reaction” to the oxycodone pill, and neither did the 12-member jury on July 30 when the guilty verdict came in.
“Her testimony seems to imply, if not state directly, that if she had not taken that darn blue pill that everything would have been fine that day,” the judge continued, before shifting his tone towards Lonnberg. “Your actions speak so loudly that I can’t hear what you’re saying. Your actions in this case are deplorable.”
Prior to handing down his sentence, Del Pozzo asked Braker what he thinks would happen should Lonnberg be released from prison.
“I have no doubt in my mind that she would resume right where she left off – drinking, driving, taking drugs and endangering the lives of others,” Braker said. “She still sits here and says, ‘I would never put anyone’s life in danger.’ I don’t think the court should put any stock into her words; her actions speak much louder.”
Del Pozzo agreed, saying that Lonnberg would pose an “extreme danger to society” if she was ever released. Originally facing a potential sentence of 15 years to life, Del Pozzo said that would be grossly insufficient given the facts of the case.
“We know what harm you pose and we know what harm you’ll pose 15 years from now,” Del Pozzo said. “And that’s too much of a risk. It’s too much of a risk for this court to consider a sentence of 15 years to life.”
To demonstrate Lonnberg’s level of intoxication and a lack of remorse, the prosecution again pointed to her demeanor moments after the wreck.
“At no point did she inquire about the well being of anyone,” noted California Highway Patrol Officer Ken Hubble, who responded to the scene of the wreck.
When he informed Lonnberg that her daughter was dead, Lonnberg allegedly snapped back, “Well, that’s her fault,” for not wearing a seatbelt.
Hubble said Lonnberg did, however, show concern over who would take care of her cats and horses while she was in jail.
As part of her prepared statement, Lonnberg requested Del Pozzo suspend his judgment for 60 days in order to allow her to attend to financial matters – such as taking care of her horse and paying bills – but the judge denied the request.
“People handle grief in different ways,” Rios rebutted after the sentence was handed down. “She couldn’t believe what she had done and it was easier to think about horses and blame others.”
Adam Simms, who was engaged to marry Gillette, is still grieving the loss of his fiance. Simms said Gillette was his soulmate and the two were “made for each other by God.”
“I will never have another love like the one we had,” he said. “I’m glad (Lonnberg is) going to spend the rest of her life in prison. I think that’s a more horrible situation than being put to death. I’m just thankful that some justice has been done here because I was so afraid that she would get off on some technicality. It’s just a relief that I know she’s never going to be able to get out of prison.”
“I don’t think she’s going to live 30 years – not the way she’s lived her life,” he added.
Rios called the case “very tragic.”
“(Lonnberg) fully understands why her family would hate her and she doesn’t blame them. When she goes to prison, it’s her hope that this ending will give some measure of peace to her and her family. She knew the trial would be trying; it opened up lots of wounds that won’t heal.”
He hopes Lonnberg and her family will “find some peace some day.”
“Every time I see her, she weeps and can’t believe she killed her husband and her baby girl,” Rios said. “She doesn’t expect her family to forgive her and she’s not looking for sympathy.”
Rios said he will be appealing Del Pozzo’s ruling.