The Shasta County District Attorney’s Office has announced that James Joshua Noyes has been sentenced to 92 years to life in prison for the murder of Emmanuel Vega. On February 28, 2024, a jury found Noyes guilty of First-Degree Murder and Felony Evading an Officer with Wanton Disregard for Public Safety.

It was alleged that Noyes confronted Emmanuel Vega and his friends at a local Jack in the Box parking lot. At some point during the confrontation, Noyes produced a firearm and fatally shot Vega.

Then, he fled the scene. Noyes was apprehended following a high-speed chase just after noon on the same day. Authorities say Noyes had previously been convicted of a prior strike offense for First-Degree Burglary.

At the time of the murder, he was on bail or his own recognizance for unrelated charges.