Lancaster Man Sentenced for Domestic Violence Murder of Wife

A man was sentenced today to 26 years to life in state prison for the stabbing death of his wife at their Lancaster home, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.

A jury last month found Rafael Barragan, 49, guilty of one count each of first-degree murder with an allegation that he used a knife as a deadly weapon and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime with force.

Case MA071585 was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Myle Phan and Eunice Kim.

On July 1, 2017, victim Katrina Barragan, 37, was stabbed to death multiple times by her husband at their home following an argument that began after leaving a birthday party earlier in the evening, the prosecutors said. Before her death, the victim called police but the call was interrupted by the defendant, the prosecutors added.

The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Homicide Bureau, and Lancaster Station.

About the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey leads the largest local prosecutorial office in the nation. Her staff of nearly 1,000 attorneys, 300 investigators and 800 support staff members is dedicated to protecting our community through the fair and ethical pursuit of justice and the safeguarding of crime victims' rights.