Defendant in court in federal officer's death

A Hollister man on Tuesday appeared in Stanislaus County Superior Court for the first time since his arrest Friday on suspicion of murder in connection with the shooting of his co-worker, an off-duty Department of Defense police officer.

Police say Robert Anthony Moreno pulled out a gun during a fight with a group of people outside a north Modesto bar in late July, opened fire and inadvertently shot to death his fellow federal officer, Daryl Chargualaf.

Moreno, 30, has been charged with murder, along with two counts each of attempted murder and assault with a semiautomatic gun. He was being held without bail at the Stanislaus County Jail.

Kirk McAllister, Moreno's defense attorney, asked to postpone Tuesday's arraignment hearing so the court can review the case and determine whether the defendant should be held without bail. Judge Ricardo Córdova scheduled Moreno to return to court Thursday to review his bail status.

Chargualaf, 34, of Modesto died from injuries suffered in the shooting, which occurred about 1:40 a.m. July 22 outside O'Malley's Bar in a shopping center at Standiford Avenue and Prescott Road.