A woman who allegedly stabbed a man to death in the Winter Gardens neighborhood north of El Cajon was ordered Wednesday to stand trial on a murder charge.

Julia Gonzalez, 24, is accused in the May 8 killing of 32-year-old Lakeside resident Justyn Nicholas Preston.

Sheriff’s deputies responded around 12:35 a.m. that day to the 8200 block of Jema Way on reports that a man had been stabbed during an altercation with neighbors, Lt. Thomas Seiver said.

Preston was found with multiple stab wounds and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Gonzalez was arrested the same day.

According to preliminary hearing testimony, Gonzalez and Preston’s sister began arguing in the street, which escalated into a physical altercation. The victim and Gonzalez’s brother also began fighting and at one point, Preston placed Gonzalez’s brother into a chokehold, according to testimony.

One witness testified that Gonzalez approached Preston and said, “You’d better let go of my brother,” before stabbing him.

Preston was stabbed three times in the chest and back, according to a stipulation between the prosecution and defense, citing the Medical Examiner’s autopsy findings.

Gonzalez faces 26 years to life in state prison if convicted of the murder charge and an allegation of using a knife in the killing, according to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.

She being held on $1 million bail and is due back in court Oct. 20 for a readiness conference.

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