Venezuelan national released by California judge is charged in fatal stabbing of Martinez retiree
Marcos Iriarte-Valdez, 36, a Venezuelan national with Spanish citizenship, was arrested Friday at his Contra Costa County home and charged with the murder of 68-year-old retiree Todd Stewart, who was stabbed on August 6. Iriarte-Valdez had been released on his own recognizance one day before the alleged stabbing, following an arrest for violating home detention monitoring conditions tied to earlier burglary charges. A Contra Costa County SWAT team arrested him after surveillance video helped police obtain a warrant; his bail was later set at $1.1 million before a judge ordered him held without bail.
Single source · Not corroborated
Marcos Iriarte-Valdez, 36, was arrested April 29 on at least two counts of residential burglary with persons present, stemming from incidents in Orinda, California, according to Martinez police. He was on pretrial release for those charges when he was arrested again on August 4 for violating his home detention monitoring rules.
On August 5, Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Nichelle Holmes released Iriarte-Valdez on his own recognizance and returned him to home detention monitoring. One day later, surveillance video showed Iriarte-Valdez wearing a tactical vest and emerging from a Cadillac before he allegedly stabbed Stewart outside Stewart's Martinez home. The victim was heard screaming, according to Fox News, which provided the sole sourcing for this story.
Contra Costa County District Attorney Diane Becton filed a felony complaint that included one count of murder with special circumstance allegations — including murder during a burglary — which could result in life imprisonment without parole if Iriarte-Valdez is convicted. The complaint also includes enhancement allegations involving the use of a knife and committing an offense while on conditional release. Becton said her office would "pursue this case with diligence and integrity."