Four Pacific Beach murder suspects will have a joint preliminary hearing on July 18, a judge scheduled on March 19.
The four men are charged with killing Marcanthony Mendivil, 44, who suffered shotgun blasts at the home of one of the men in the 2300 block of Wilbur Avenue on Dec. 29, 2018.
Initially, only Paul Charles Weinberger, 50, and Freddy Sosa, 37, were arrested and charged but two other men, Pedro Ramirez, 27, and Carlos Yslas, 24, were charged on Feb. 22. They all had to enter not guilty pleas again before San Diego Superior Court Judge Michael Smyth because the criminal complaint had to be consolidated to include all four in the murder charge.
All four also agreed to waive their right to have a speedy preliminary hearing. The prosecutor said he provided a number of documents to the defense attorneys who had requested additional time to prepare for the hearing.
Weinberger is the only defendant who was able to post $1 million bond and he appeared in court with his attorney, Paul Pfingst. His bail had originally been $10 million, but it was later reduced.
Mendivil was a guest in Weinberger’s home. Pfingst said his client did not commit the shooting. The motive has still not been discussed in court.
Deputy District Attorney Flavio Nominati did say in court that Yslas was the gunman who fired two shotgun blasts into the victim.
Yslas and Ramirez are also charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and making a criminal threat. Both Yslas and Ramirez remain in jail on $3 million bail, while Sosa is being held in jail on $2 million bail.