The five men accused of shooting to death six people on Jan. 23 in the San Bernardino County desert near El Mirage also robbed their victims, according to the criminal complaint filed in Superior Court on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
The District Attorney’s Office has not disclosed what was taken, but Sheriff Shannon Dicus said Monday the groups met up for a marijuana deal under the cover of darkness at the intersection of two dirt roads about 4 miles east of Highway 395 and 25 miles northwest of Victorville.
It was then, according to the complaint, that four of the men opened fire with rifles. Only one of the defendants, Toniel Baez-Duarte, 35, of Apple Valley, does not face a special circumstance allegation of using a firearm while committing a felony.
That allegation, as well as allegations of committing multiple murders, makes the men eligible for the death penalty. District Attorney Jason Anderson has not said whether he will seek that penalty if any of the five are convicted as charged.
Baez-Duarte, represented by a public defender, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday in Superior Court in Victorville to six counts of murder and six counts of second-degree robbery. He denied the special circumstances allegations of committing multiple murders.
His brother, Mateo Baez-Duarte, 24, of Apple Valley, pleaded not guilty to six counts of murder and six counts of second-degree robbery. He denied the special circumstances allegations.
The three other defendants have not been arraigned because they have undisclosed medical issues not related to the shooting, Jacquelyn Rodriguez, a DA’s spokeswoman, said Wednesday. They are now scheduled to be arraigned Thursday on charges of murder and second-degree robbery. They are brothers Jose Nicolas Hernandez-Sarabia, 33, and Jose Gregogio Hernandez-Sarabia, 36, of Adelanto; and Jose Manuel Burgos Parra, 26, of Adelanto.
Attorneys were appointed for all the defendants, who are being held without bail after being arrested on Jan. 29….
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