- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Man accused of cousin's murder arraigned
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Finley man accused of killing his cousin made his first appearance in court on Wednesday.
Salvador Flores Guzman, 69, appeared for arraignment in Lake County Superior Court before a visiting judge on Wednesday morning. Local judges have recused themselves from the case due to conflicts.
Guzman is facing murder and several other felony charges for the Sunday night killing of 78-year-old Manuel Guzman of Kelseyville.
The weapons in the case are alleged to be a vehicle and a knife, according to court records.
Guzman did not enter a plea during the arraignment. Attorney Komnith Moth was appointed to represent him.
On Sunday night sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of Stone Drive near Scully Packing Co. in Finley on the report of a man lying outside of a vehicle, according to a report issued earlier this week by Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Brooks said deputies found Manuel Guzman's body lying near his pickup truck, which appeared to have been in a crash.
He'd suffered sharp force injuries to his chest and abdomen, and sheriff's detectives concluded that his pickup may have been forced off the road by another vehicle, Brooks reported.
Brooks said the sheriff's office investigation found that Manuel Guzman had been seen leaving Konocti Vista Casino in his pickup at approximately 9:15 p.m. Sunday, about an hour before his body was found.
Working with casino personnel, detectives were able to focus in on Salvador Guzman, who Brooks said was arrested Monday afternoon at Lakeside County Park.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff filed the criminal case against Salvador Guzman and represented the District Attorney’s Office at the Wednesday arraignment.
The charges against Salvador Guzman include murder, with special allegations of inflicting great bodily injury on Manuel Guzman, lying in wait and use of a deadly weapon, specifically, a knife; assault with a deadly weapon – a knife – and a special allegation of inflicting great bodily injury on a person age 70 or older; and assault with a deadly weapon, a vehicle.
Hinchcliff said the special allegation of lying in wait makes Manuel Guzman's murder a capital offense.
If convicted of the crimes, Salvador Guzman could face life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty, although Hinchcliff said the District Attorney's Office is unlikely to pursue the latter.
At Hinchcliff's request, the judge agreed to hold Salvador Guzman without bail.
The case has been continued until March 6, at which time Salvador Guzman is expected to enter a plea and the preliminary hearing date will be set, Hinchcliff said.
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