LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A Clearlake man who authorities said used a metal stake to kill another man has formally been charged in the case.

Martin Jimenez-Patricio, 55 — also known as Martin Jimenez — was arrested Dec. 4 for the murder of Jose De Jesus Gutierrez-Castillo following a standoff with police.

Jimenez-Patricio was charged in the case on Dec. 6 and made his first appearance in court for arraignment on that same day.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Rich Watson said he could not confirm a motive in the case.

The Clearlake Police Department was dispatched to a residence in the 5900 block of James Street at around 10:30 a.m. Dec. 4 on the report of a deceased person.

When they arrived, they found Gutierrez-Castillo, 47, dead inside the residence, where Jimenez-Patricio was present and refusing to come out, police said.

Jimenez-Patricio was taken into custody that afternoon after a standoff of several hours that police said was resolved with the assistance of other law enforcement agencies and the Lake and Mendocino County Regionalized SWAT team.

In the District Attorney’s Office filing against Jimenez-Patricio, it is alleged that he killed Gutierrez-Castillo on or around Dec. 3, the day before his arrest.

He is charged with two felonies — one count of murder and one count of assault with a deadly weapon.

The charging document states that the murder weapon was a metal concrete form stake.

Connected to those counts are three special allegations: personal use of a deadly and dangerous weapon; infliction of great bodily injury; and that the crime involved great violence that disclosed a high degree of cruelty, viciousness or callousness, that Jimenez-Patricio used a weapon, that he took advantage of a position of trust or confidence to commit the offense, that he engaged in violence conduct, was on probation or parole, and that his prior probation and parole performance was unsatisfactory.

A third count, a misdemeanor, also is charged against Jimenez-Patricio for possession of methamphetamine.

Jimenez-Patricio is being held in the Lake County Jail without bail.

He is due to return to court for the appearance of counsel and entry of plea on Dec. 17, according to court records.

Court records also indicate that issues relating to his mental competence were raised during a 2022 felony case filed against him for assault with a deadly weapon and burglary.

Watson said Tuesday that he could not confirm those competence issues.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.