Trial of trio accused in Fallbrook murder heads into December

The trial of three suspected gang members accused of murdering Hugh Pettigrew III in Fallbrook the night of Jan. 22, 2016 is heading into December.

Opening statements in the trial of Kevin Garcia, Tyler Dean and Ryan Valdez were heard Nov. 2, and as of Nov. 28, the prosecution was still presenting its case, according to Maria Riggin, a court room clerk for San Diego Superior Court.

Superior Court Judge Richard Monroy is presiding over the trial being held in Vista, and Deputy District Attorney Christine Bannon is leading the prosecution.

Garcia, Dean and Valdez are being represented by attorneys Herbert Weston, Sherry Stone and Matthew Mohun, respectively.

The trio is accused of randomly attacking Pettigrew as he walked along the 400 block of Ammunition Road at approximately 10:45 p.m. Pettigrew, who had left a fast-food restaurant and was heading to a relative's apartment on Alturas Road, was repeatedly stabbed.

Pettigrew, a 33-year-old black man, managed to make it to the apartment after the attack but then collapsed. Emergency medical personnel rushed Pettigrew to a hospital, where he died 18 days later.

Homicide detectives used video surveillance from nearby businesses as part of their investigation and the footage helped lead them to the three suspects being charged. The video showed no apparent indication of provocation prior to the attack and Pettigrew wasn't robbed.

An attempt by the District Attorney's Office to charge the trio with a hate crime – the victim was black and the suspects were affiliated with a Latino gang – was rejected by a judge last year.

Riggin said the trial will likely be completed by mid-December.