SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The first four suspects arrested in the gang-related murder of Anthony Ibarra were in court Friday morning for a scheduled arraignment. Cameras were not allowed inside the courtroom, but as the four suspects made a brief appearance, they looked stone faced as they stood before the judge.
"We received no substantive information from anybody as to whether or not there is an identity issue in this case..so until we are able to make that assessment the court has out of abundance of caution guarded the rights of these defendants," said David Bixby, Defense Attorney.
Suspect Carmen Cardenas was the only defendant of the four who actually stepped inside the courtroom. For security purposes the other three, Ramon Maldonado, Reyes Gonzales and Pedro Torres sat behind a glass window.
Judge McGreagor continued the arraignment until Monday, where all eight suspects are scheduled to make an appearance.
Investigators believe Ibarra was murdered in Santa Maria Monday at 1142 west Donovan. Evidence indicated an assault had occurred. The next day, Ibarra's body was found in the back of a u-haul truck in Orcutt.
The remaining four suspects, David Maldonado, Robert Sosa, Santos Manuel Sauceda and Anthony Solis were arrested Thursday.
Maldonado was taken into custody at the Santa Barbara County Probation Department. Sauceda and Sosa were arrested after an officer spotted them on the 700 block of east Central Avenue in Santa Maria. As for Solis, police say he was arrested at King Falafel.
The District Attorney's Office alleges torture in Ibarra's death, which means if convicted, Ramon Maldonado and Reyes Gonzales could face life in prison without parole or even the death penalty.
Cardenas and Torres are just being charged with being accessories after the fact in the murder with a special allegation of street terrorism, if convicted they could face up to seven years in prison.
Ramon Maldonado and Reyes Gonzales are the only suspects denied bail.
