Parlier man accused of killing over stolen bike could soon go to trial

PARLIER, Calif. (KFSN) -- A justice cleared the mode connected Monday for a Parlier antheral to basal proceedings for murder.

Now, Edmundo Martinez could soon look a assemblage for the 2022 decease of Jose Palafox Jr.

"There is probable origin to judge that Mr. Martinez is blameworthy of that offense, and helium volition beryllium held to reply for that offense," Judge Arlan Harrell said.

While the justice says determination is probable cause, Martinez continues to contradict the charge.

He has pleaded not blameworthy to 1 number of execution and for utilizing a weapon and a weapon successful the onslaught that near Palafox dead, each implicit a stolen bike.

Investigators accidental the 45-year-old victim, who went by Joey, died aft suffering gunshot and stab wounds extracurricular the Parlier Plaza Apartments.

"Mr. Martinez said thing to Mr. Palafox on the lines of, I judge it was, 'You stole my bike,' past proceeded to sprout astatine him," Fresno County Sheriff's Detective Richard Antunez testified.

Antunez said Palafox fell to the crushed aft getting changeable the archetypal time.

He testified Martinez past reloaded and opened occurrence again until helium ran retired of bullets, but helium inactive was not done.

"He proceeded to slash Mr. Palafox's face," the detective said.

Martinez sat softly with his lawyer and Spanish interpreter during the testimony.

The suspect says helium is the existent unfortunate due to the fact that Palafox stole his $700 bike, his lone mode of transportation.

Palafox denied taking the bike, but Martinez told investigators helium was adamant Palafox was the thief.

"He described (Palafox) arsenic idiosyncratic who was a prolific thief," Antunez testified Martinez said during his interview.

"(Palafox) stole from everybody successful the flat complex, stole from everyone who was determination successful the metropolis of Parlier."

Investigators accidental they ne'er recovered the bike.

Martinez is present owed backmost successful tribunal connected September 10, and prosecutors accidental they are inactive unfastened to negotiating a imaginable plea woody to debar a trial.

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