Man acquitted of murder
A man was found not guilty of first-degree murder and robbery charges Wednesday in Kern County Superior Court.
According to a news release from the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, Michael Johnson was acquitted of a murder charge associated with the 2017 death of Jesus Torres.
Regardless, the District Attorney’s Office used the nature of Torres’ death as a call of caution to those who use internet-based apps to arrange meetings and business sales with strangers.
According to the news release, Torres was found dead in his car in August 2017 at Stiern Park in Bakersfield. An autopsy report indicated Torres died from a blow to the head from a blunt object, and his death was ruled a homicide.
Authorities said that Johnson and Torres were allegedly in communication leading up to Torres’ murder, with Johnson intending to meet Torres at Stiern Park to purchase a cell phone.
The two were determined to be in communication via the “OfferUp” digital app, as well as cellphone, IP address and email records, the District Attorney’s Office said.
Deputy District Attorney Richard Choi said that while investigators uncovered as much evidence as possible, it wasn’t enough for a guilty verdict in the courtroom.
“The case was challenging, but the memory of Jesus Torres and the pursuit of justice for his death required us to present the case to a jury to determine whether there was enough evidence to meet the ‘proof beyond a reasonable doubt’ required for conviction,” Choi said in the news release. “The jury performed their responsibility and determined that the evidence did not reach the level required for criminal conviction.”
Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said those who use internet-based apps to arrange sales and meetings with strangers are taking an inherent risk.
“When meetings do occur for sales of items, it is best to arrange a meeting where cameras and law enforcement are present and visible, including specifically the front of police departments,” Zimmer said in the news release. “Not only does meeting near police departments reduce the risk of violence and robbery due to law enforcement’s immediate, visible presence, but it also increases the likelihood that any criminal acts that do occur can be immediately responded to and evidence of any crime be readily available and secured.”
Deputy Public Defender Mark Aguilar, who represented Johnson in the case, said that while there was circumstantial evidence that Johnson may have committed the murder, without hard evidence and witnesses to the alleged incident an acquittal was a logical verdict.
“My client was a possibility, but there were other possibilities too,” Aguilar said.
Police are asking for community assistance identifying a suspect in a hit-and-run incident that occurred near Rosedale Highway and Calloway Drive.
According to a Bakersfield Police Department news release, the incident happened at 8:26 a.m. Nov. 1 in the 9700 block of Rosedale Highway.
BPD described the vehicle as a 2002 dark green Jeep Liberty.
The agency said the driver was a white woman, between 30 and 33 years old and weighing between 225 and 230 pounds. She had blond hair and was wearing a black shirt and jean shorts, police said.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call Officer Dollschnieder at 3263957 or 326-7111.
A 31-year-old man who was struck and killed by a vehicle near downtown Bakersfield in January has been identified.
Melviyon Antwian Drew was a pedestrian struck by a car in the 1300 block of 23rd Street, according to a report from the Kern County coroner’s office. The incident occurred at 6:50 p.m. Jan. 26.
The victim was taken to Kern Medical via ambulance where he died three days later, the coroner reported.
A 31-year-old man was the victim in a fatal shooting that occurred Feb. 20 in southeast Bakersfield.
According to a report from the Kern County coroner’s office, Reginald Albert Gordon McCoy Jr. was killed in the 300 block of S. Hayes Street. Police found his body at about 10:45 p.m., the report said.
The Bakersfield Police Department is investigating the incident as a suspected homicide.