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Street rules, a shared ethos doomed Myers girl

March 11, 2013
Rhonda Maye Wisto

Rhonda Maye Wisto

Mother-and-son murder suspects Rhonda Maye Wisto and Frank Jacob York had “a shared ethos commanding respect” and that may have led to the savage slaying of 15-year-old Destiny Myers, a prosecutor said Monday.

Deputy District Atty. Timothy S. Covello told a newly-empaneled jury during opening arguments that the defendants’ adherence to “street rules” and their demand for respect “was a lethal combination.”

Myers was slain Sept. 26, 2010, by four meth-fueled men, allegedly at the instructions of Wisto, and her body burned before its discovery by firefighters in a shallow Santa Margarita grave.

Wisto’s attorney, Michael R. Cummings, said he would prove that his client was not involved in the murder.

Covello said the victim “had a mouth on her,” and that the suspects plotted to kill her because of that, and because they feared she had learned too much about what the prosecutor called “a criminal enterprise” led by Wisto. She is reported to have praised her son upon his return from the scene of the murder.

First-day testimony by witnesses from CalFire and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department told about the discovery of Myers’ burning body, and the subsequent string of events leading to the arrest of five people at Wisto’s Nipomo residence only hours later.

Their testimony was often accompanied by slides showing the location of Wisto’s trailer home, the site where Myers was found, and the fire-darkened pit containing human remains.

Two firefighters told of interviewing a man who stumbled out of the darkness near the spot where Myers’ body lay, his face battered; he was nearly incoherent. That was Cody Lane Miller of Fresno, who admitted to questioners at the scene that he had been involved in the murder, and identified the other suspects.

Miller and two other men arrested for Myers’ slaying have pleaded guilty.

The trial is expected to last about three weeks, and resumes Tuesday in the courtroom of Judge Barry LaBarbera. — By Daniel Blackburn


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This sicko case and the ongoing swift criminal justice to follow are almost a match. What happened to a speedy trial? Did the public intend for the criminal justice system to be the best system that money can buy?


I say socialize all Criminal Law into the same budget that pays for schools, roads and the water we drink. This is nescessary to lesson the popularity of the crime industry.


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Scientific studies are just another way of our society ‘washing’ our hands of the issue – just lock the criminals away and forget about them. But we also forget about the millions and millions of dollars

that are uselessly spent for this – money that could be and should be spent on so many other things that would bring much more value to everyone.

The way the ‘death’ penalty is used today (in California, at least) is similiar to our fantastic Congress and how they choose to ‘kick the can down the road” when it comes to really working on and solving our financial mess – easier to ‘kick’ the can than it is to really face reality and fix something.

Again, I ask the simple question – if what is being done today (and for the past many years) is the correct way to do it – then why have we not seen hard measurable results from it? Where is the scientific studies that show this nation’s justice system is the best way?

Maybe another way ought to considered. Just saying.


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Excellent post.

If imprisonment is the alternative to the death penalty, why is it not working as well?

IMHO, the state could take a few tips from AZ Sheriff Joe and make time spent in prison a true penance, no frills, no TV, no gym, but all able bodied prisoners should be required to do hard labor, big rocks into little rocks.

Today in CA, time spent in prison is a joke it is nothing more than a stay in a cheap hotel with meals supplied, and in no way is it a repayment of a debt to society

It is a stay at taxpayers expense with three hots and a cot, and often in much better conditions given our homeless population…


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“Scientific studies for 100 years have proven that the death penalty does NOT deter. Sorry bout that.”


Oh really, and how many of those executed in Texas have murdered again. Seems like an effective deterrent to me.


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You seem to be having trouble with the concept of “deterrent”.


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It works this way: When a government has the right to execute people, then many citizens feel they personally have the right to execute people. The death penalty coarsens society and establishes the habit of people deciding who gets to live or die. The case above is a perfect example: Wisto and York took it upon themselves to act as jury and deliver the death penalty to myers for what they believed to be her transgressions.


The death penalty encourages and sanctions the government to kill its own citizens: never a good idea. The same emotion that urged the killers to kill myers is the same emotion that urges some readers of this forum to want to kill Wisto and Ford. The death penalty perpetuates a very bad cycle that leads to more death. The death penalty tells every man, woman and child, including the mentally unstable, that people can solve problems by killing other people. And thus we have our violent society of today….


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Not true,

Once a perp decides to break the law, harm another or take someone elses life they have stepped outside the bounds of normal society and enter the world of predator. They alone chose to act the way they did, they alone decided for whatever reasons to commit a crime, they alone chose to be the judge and jury for Destiny Myers, to take her life, commit outrageous acts to cover that crime and as such should have to pay the ultimate price if found guilty.

The death penalty is the ultimate price to be paid as determined in court of law in accordance with the judicial system and a jury of their peers, as a just payment in a debt to society for the most heinous crimes committed against society possible. It is not awarded lightly and in many states never enacted even though it has been handed down as the price to be paid.

It may not be perfect, but it is the best system we have and it was approved by both the voters and the justice department. Once a person has been tried by a impartial jury and judge, and after representation by a lawyer, they are found guilty of their crimes against society and fairly sentenced to their penalty, whether it is death, life in prison without parole or a lesser penalty, it is final and just…


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Scientific studies for 100 years have proven that the death penalty does NOT deter. Sorry bout that. The perps either do not think of the consequences or it is like another form of suicide for them. The appeals cost more than keeping them locked up.

But, never release them. They will not be improved by prison.


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“Scientific studies for 100 years have proven that the death penalty does NOT deter. Sorry bout that. The perps either do not think of the consequences or it is like another form of suicide for them. The appeals cost more than keeping them locked up.

But, never release them. They will not be improved by prison.”


So according to your logic, criminals are not re habitable? They are not deterred by laws, sentences no matter how horrible or even gun bans? They have no respect or regard for others or laws?

What then is to be done with them, when a person steps accross that line and commits crimes against society, even ones so horrific they are unspeakable, ignoring any consequenses for those acts?

They have become non human creatures unfit for society and dangerous for any public exposure. They are worse than wild animals gone rabid which can be put down…


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I’m not a believer in the DP I would much rather have these scum lobotomized tattooed bright orange and made to build sand piles out of granite for the rest of their miserable lives, preferably right in plain sight so parents could take their children to see. You want deterrent? Death is not, it’s just unknown.


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What? No cable TV, internet access and full medical coverage? Three hots and a cot, along with the next level of criminal training/survival…


Yeah, life at hard labor would be great, but I don’t know if this country would even recognize hard labor anymore… unless they’ve been to China.


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I hope they simply revoke their ability to cause pain anymore so remaining alive isn’t an option. Can you imagine the years going by knowing you’ll eventually be strapped to a table and put down?


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After 2+ years, maybe justice will finally be served. But, unfortunately, death will not be the answer – not in California. It may sound good, probably is deserved, and will likely satisfy many; but the stark reality is that Ms. Wisto and son, Frank will not be put to death for this evil deed. Not in California.

They will be wards of the state, serve many years in prison – all at the pleasure of the taxpayers of this state, who do not have the guts to demand swift and immediate death for any and all perpetrators of crimes of this nature.

If you really care and are really concerned about this – then be sure you let your state congressman (or congresswoman) know that enough is enough – and insist that the way the death penalty is used in this state must change. That is the only way to stop these things. People must realize that there is no ambiguity about what will be the result of them doing things like this – no leniancy, no forgiveness, just quick and final justice. It may take a couple of generations, but the message will be heard. If you think this is wrong (or too strong) then I ask – how else do you do it? What this state does now and has done for the past many years is not making a difference. Let’s try something different.


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You are right about the death penalty. They say it isn’t a deterent. Probably because they DON’T implement it.


Look at Richard Rameriz the Night Stalker. Convict in ’86. They said at time it would probabaly take thirteen years for his appeals to work through the system. I thought then, THIRTEEN YEARS are you kidding me!!?? Well here we are at twenty seven years and no closer. Yep it is a failure because of those implementing it.


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While I agree that the scum responsible, directly and indirectly, for Destiny Myer’s murder deserve to die, I still oppose the death penalty. I disagree that it is a deterrent because the people who do this don’t think rationally enough to make the connection before they act. Killing them merely rids society of future danger from them.


My opposition stems from the fact that our justice system is too imperfect and too likely to condemn a few innocent people as well as the more numerous guilty ones. I would rather see convicted murderers with life sentences on the chance that bad convictions could be later reversed than risk putting some innocents to death because of the systemic flaws.


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Ok, no “real” death penalty……layoff more teachers and build more prisons to house and feed these horrible murders? Really folks this is the simple truth of how our system works. It’s not about anger it’s about consequences for your actions. Some may say its too tough however if you look at people who kill, this is just a culmination of ones criminal history.


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All these gang bang dipshit types and their respect. In the REAL world where most of us live, respect is something earned. It is usually of someone who has CHARACTOR. The ones here and ALL the banger type lack CHARACTOR!!!


The respect I will show you is more than you deserve. That is to put you to death on death row humanely. That is the ONLY respect you will get from me and I’m sure many others and even that is more than you deserve or have earned. Have fun in hell B**CH!!


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These hideous individuals deserve nothing less than the death penalty. Anything less is an insult to humanity.

Their destiny should reflect the horrific, unspeakable evil they wrought upon Destiny.


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Dystiny lo so sad :(

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dys-


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Why all the thumbs down on zaphods post? While Dystinys parents obviously didn’t realize what they were doing when they named her, nothing good begins with the prefix DYS. I find it curious and even ironic when I consider the destiny of Dystiny. What’s in a name? Just saying…………


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I’ve never been a huge fan of the death penalty but I would flip the switch on this Wisto woman in a heartbeat.


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