A Los Angeles County jury has found David Marvin Blake Jr., son of producer and rapper DJ Quik, guilty of second-degree murder and shooting from a motor vehicle in connection with the 2022 death of Julio Moises Cardoza Jr. The verdict, delivered on December 4, 2025, follows more than three years of pre-trial proceedings, evidentiary disputes, and witness testimony surrounding the incident on Carfax Avenue in Downey.
Prosecutors alleged that Blake fired a single shot during a late-night confrontation, while the defense challenged aspects of the state’s timeline, eyewitness accounts, and the interpretation of forensic evidence. The jury ultimately sided with the prosecution, also finding true the firearm and great-bodily-injury enhancements, which significantly increase the potential sentence.
Blake now awaits a February 6, 2026 sentencing hearing, where he faces a possible term of up to 40 years to life in state prison.
With the verdict reached, the case enters a new legal phase. Under California law, defendants have access to several post-conviction procedures designed to ensure the integrity of the process — including appeals focused on potential trial-level errors related to jury instructions, evidentiary rulings, witness credibility issues, or constitutional questions arising during the proceedings. These mechanisms are standard in serious cases and often hinge on a close review of the full trial record once transcripts become available.
While the conviction represents a significant milestone, it is not the final chapter. Appellate courts routinely examine trial outcomes to determine whether the proceedings complied with legal standards, and whether any issues — procedural or otherwise — may merit further review. As with any high-stakes case, the coming months will clarify how the post-trial process unfolds and what arguments may be raised as Blake’s defense team evaluates the record.
For now, the verdict stands, the sentencing date approaches, and the case transitions into the stage where California’s system of checks and balances is designed to operate.
