A transient accused of fatally stabbing a man and wounding his female friend in an unprovoked attack at a homeless camp in City Heights must stand trial on murder, attempted murder and assault charges, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Alberto Lizarraga, 24, is charged in the attack last Sept. 25 that took the life of 29-year-old Sonny Gonzalez.
The victim’s friend, Moriah Figueroa, testified that she and Gonzalez were hanging out at a friend’s tent near the 4100 block of Manzanita Drive shortly before 9:30 p.m. when Lizarraga and a girlfriend showed up.
Figueroa said Lizarraga seemed angry about something, then suddenly hit Gonzalez in the neck “really hard.”
The witness said the defendant tried to punch her but she tried to block him with her forearm.
Figueroa said Gonzalez pulled Lizarraga off her and fought with the defendant before saying, “Did you just stab me?”
The witness said Gonzalez tried to walk out of the camp and cried out “I don’t want to die!” The victim, who was stabbed once in the jugular vein, died at a hospital.
Figueroa said she didn’t see any weapons but saw blood on Lizarraga’s shirt before he fled.
A police officer told Figueroa she had been cut on her neck.
Judge Steven Stone ruled that enough evidence was presented at the preliminary hearing for Lizarraga to proceed to trial on murder and attempted murder counts, as well as an assault charge for allegedly hitting a man with a skateboard four to five days before the fatal attack.
Lizarraga, who faces 26 years to life in prison if convicted, will be back in court April 12 for arraignment.
–City News Service
