San Diego

The convicted killer of a retired San Diego Fire Department captain was sentenced Friday to 16 years to life in state prison.

Jose Isabel Rodriguez, 27, of National City, also received a $100 fine from San Diego Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Kutzner.

Rodriguez was convicted July 8 of second-degree murder in the Feb. 1, 1987, slaying of Richard Field, 61, of National City. Field was beaten to death with a blunt object.

During the trial, Field’s widow, Rebbeca, admitted that she had an affair with Rodriguez, who lived with the couple. The affair allegedly sparked the slaying.

Before imposing the sentence, the judge said “there was premeditation and planning of this crime,” but noted Rodriguez had no record.

“My only disappointment in this case is that we are not asking for the death penalty,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Mark Pettine.

A hung jury caused a mistrial in Rodriguez’s first trial last November. The jury in his retrial acquitted Rodriguez of first-degree murder and found him guilty of the lesser charge.

When police investigated the murder scene, they found Rodriguez wounded. His attorney later conceded that Rodriguez shot himself to make it appear that an intruder killed Field and wounded him.