Exclusive details revealed as accused Madera Walgreens killer heads to trial

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Madera County justice ruled connected Friday that Narciso Gallardo Fernandez volition basal proceedings for execution pursuing a chilling onslaught astatine a Madera Walgreens past March.

"There is capable origin to judge [the] suspect is blameworthy thereof," Judge Katherine Rigby said.

Fernandez is accused of gunning down Erick Velasquez.

Investigators accidental Fernandez drove astir 80 miles from Pixley, arriving astatine the Walgreens soon earlier closing.

Madera Police Department Detective Dina Santos testified that Fernandez loitered wrong and ate chips earlier opening fire.

"He admitted going into Walgreens and shooting the employee," Santos said.

Police judge Fernandez had a "grudge" against ample pharmacies. They accidental helium fired astatine 2 different employees, telling officers helium thought helium killed them.

"He said helium didn't cognize however galore shots helium fired, but believed it was the full magazine," Santos said.

The onslaught shocked the community, and hundreds turned retired for a vigil extracurricular the store. Customers told Action News they knew Velazquez for his large smile, his kindness.

"For thing similar this to hap to him without adjacent knowing who that different idiosyncratic was and the idiosyncratic not knowing him, it was conscionable devastating to each of us," mourner Lena Cortez said successful April.

Donors raised much than $60,000 for Velazquez's family.

Many of his loved ones were contiguous successful tribunal and cried arsenic detectives revealed his last moments.

"Erick had gone towards the idiosyncratic who was adjacent the photocopy area," Santos said.

In court, Fernandez remained quiescent without showing disposable emotion.

His lawyer did not telephone a azygous witness, lone suggesting that Fernandez suffered trauma from a large accident.

"I judge it was a caput wounded and, I believe, it was his arm," the detective said.

More grounds astir the man's anterior dealings with the healthcare strategy could travel retired astatine trial.

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