Ojai Valley Man Sentenced For Killing His Friend

Friday May 17, 2024

(Photo of Lykins courtesy VCSO)

     Updated--An Ojai Valley man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for the brutal slaying of his friend after earlier pleading guilty to manslaughter.

     28-year-old Cameron Lykins of Meiners Oaks had been charged with murder in the sledgehammer killing of 22-year-old Houston Auer of Meiners Oaks in May of 2019.

     But new evidence indicated manslaughter was the more appropriate charge.

     Lykins killed Auer at a residence where they lived and then took his body to the Angeles National Forest where he dumped it.

     He then drove to his mother's home in Lone Pine where he was tracked down and arrested.

     Lykins went on trial for murder but a mistrial was declared after evidence was mistakenly presented before its admissibility had been approved.

     Prosecutors say during the wait for a retrial new evidence was developed that indicated it would have been difficult to prove malice for the murder charge beyond a reasonable doubt so prosecutors lowered the charge to voluntary manslaughter and Lykins pleaded guilty.

     He also admitted several special allegations and aggravating factors including that he used a deadly weapon and had convictions for prior crimes.