Alleged gang member pleads not guilty in California killings
A man with alleged ties to a California prison gang has pleaded not guilty to killing six people, including a teenage mother and her baby, last month at a central California home connected to a rival gang
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A man with alleged ties to a California prison gang pleaded not guilty Tuesday to killing six people, including a teenage mother and her baby, last month at a central California home connected to a rival gang, prosecutors said.
Rural Goshen, a community of about 3,000 people in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley, was stunned by the Jan. 16 massacre.
Angel Uriarte, 35, pleaded not guilty Tuesday and remains held without bail. He had been hospitalized in custody after he was wounded in a shootout with federal agents more than two weeks after the killings.
Uriarte's co-defendant, 25-year-old Noah David Beard, pleaded not guilty earlier this month. Authorities say he shot Alissa Parraz, 16, and her 10-month-old baby, Nycholas Parraz, in the back of their heads.
Both are charged with six counts of murder and other crimes, and they each face a potential sentence of the death penalty or life in prison without parole.
Uriarte's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Beard's lawyer declined to comment.
The defendants are scheduled to return to court March 15.
Investigators believe the two suspects have ties to the Nuestra Familia prison gang. Uriarte was convicted in 2015 of assault with a firearm in association with a street gang, and Beard had juvenile convictions, prosecutors said in a court filing.
Authorities have not disclosed the reason for the shooting, but the Los Angeles Times reported that it occurred after years of bad blood between two warring families in Goshen.
The other victims were identified as: Rosa Parraz, 72; Eladio Parraz, Jr., 52; Jennifer Analla, 49; and Marcos Parraz, 19.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.