An ex-con arrested in San Diego 10 days after allegedly killing his mother and stepfather with a baseball bat has pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder charges.
Nelson Garibay, 44, is charged in the Jan. 11 killings of Irma Garibay, 65, and Mario Flores-Romero, 73. The suspect also faces charges for allegedly assaulting his younger brother, the sole survivor in the attack.
Garibay was taken into custody Jan. 21 in Otay Mesa and is being held without bail. He entered his plea in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday.
According to a criminal complaint, Garibay was convicted in Los Angeles County in 2017 of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm.
At about 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 11, witnesses heard yelling in the backyard of the couple’s Hacienda Heights home, where the stepfather’s body was found. The mother’s body was found in the garage.
When Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies arrived, they were met outside by Garibay’s brother, 37, who said he also had been attacked by the defendant.
“The facts in this case are truly disturbing and we will ensure that there is accountability for these senseless killings,” Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement released in January, shortly after the charges were filed.
Garibay faces up to 57 years to life in prison if convicted, according to prosecutors.
