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And a man pleads not guilty to a previous homicide COURTESY PHOTORon Tutay has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder in connection with the fourth homicide this year in Santa Maria.
Santa Maria police are investigating the shooting death of a 19-year-old man whose body was found early Sunday in an alley behind the 300 block of West Rochelle.
Police identified the victim as Felix Ivan Antonio Antonio of Santa Maria. Officers responded to the scene at 12:03 a.m. Sunday.
No arrests have been made, and the motive for the shooting remains unknown at this time, Detective Oscar Corral said.
“It’s still an ongoing investigation,” he said.
Police are asking anyone with additional information about this shooting to contact Detective Cazares at 805-928-3781, ext. 1319.
The homicide is the fifth in Santa Maria this year.
Meanwhile, the man arrested in connection with the city’s fourth homicide in July will stand trial in Santa Barbara Superior Court, Det. Corral said.
Defendant Ron Tutay was held over for trial following a July 13 preliminary hearing, the detective said. Mr. Tutay has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder.
Police responded at 9:24 p.m. July 2 to reports of shooting in front of Louie’s bar, 213 E. Main St., Det. Corral said. They found a man on the ground who had been shot.
Officers saw a man, later identified as Mr. Tutay, sitting on a nearby sidewalk, questioned him and arrested him for drug-related violations, the detective said. After further investigation, they found evidence at the scene linking him to the shooting and arrested him on suspicion of murder, Det. Corral said.
“We have no concrete information about a motive,” Det. Corral said.
The victim, later identified as Gerald Lynn Williams, 55, of Santa Maria, was taken to the hospital where he later died.
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Corral at 805-928-3781, ext. 2243.
email: nhartstein@newspress.com
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