Ex-California prison guard sentenced in murder-for-hire plan. Target of plot disappointed
A former California prison guard who pleaded no contest to solicitation of murder after hiring a hit man to kill his lover’s husband was sentenced Wednesday in Fresno County to six years in prison.
Police said Miguel Angel Corona, a 34-year-old decorated Army veteran, was part of a plan to kill Christopher Schmall of Clovis in 2021.
Corona and Schmall’s then-wife, a nurse for the state prison system, were romantically involved when police allege Corona approached Bradley Beau Costill, 58, a felon, to help him get rid of Schmall.
The murder-for-hire plan never happened. Corona, according to his defense attorney Linden Lindahl, admitted his involvement after being stopped by Clovis police for an unrelated matter.
Corona declined to speak during his sentencing.
Target of murder plot and family disappointed
Schmall and several of his family members were disappointed at the outcome.
They were opposed to the plea deal and pushed for a jury trial so they could hopefully find out more about the plot to kill Schmall. Not implicated in the murder-for-hire plot was Schmall’s ex-wife.
Darren Schmall, the victim’s father, was critical of the investigation and the prosecution of the case. He said it fell woefully short of providing answers.
“Did they ever wonder why they wanted my son dead?” he said during the sentencing hearing. “This group of individuals got together to kill my son, and I take that very personally.”
Judge James Kelley sympathized with the victim’s father, but added that even if the case had gone to trial, there was no guarantee the family would get the answers they are looking for and they risked the chance of the former prison guard being found not guilty.
Natalie Smith, Christopher Schmall’s aunt, said the trauma of knowing someone was hired to kill him still haunts her nephew and his 7-year-old daughter.
“He believes his life is still in danger,” she said.
Protective order granted
The judge granted Schmall a protective order, prohibiting Corona from contacting him for 10 years. A similar order was also issued against the alleged hit man, Costill, that also applies to Schmall’s daughter.
In Corona’s case, the judge did not extend the protective order to Schmall’s daughter since Corona and Schmall’s ex-wife are still in communication.
Christopher Schmall said he was ready for the ordeal to be over. The past two years have been the most stressful time of his and his family’s life.
“And I still am left with no answer as to why this all took place,” he said. “It seems at this point, I just want to move on with my life.”
Costill pleaded guilty in August to one count of being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition. He was given three years probation.
