MODESTO -- Two men charged with murder and attempted murder, along with the woman suspected of harboring them for more than a week, were arraigned in Stanislaus Superior Court on Wednesday.
Santos Joseph Garcia Jr., 25, and Brian Storment, 18, both of Modesto, are charged in connection with an Oct. 14 shooting at a home in the 2100 block of Conant Avenue in north Modesto that left a 15-year-old, identified in a criminal complaint as Juan Velasquez, dead.
Velasquez and a 23-year-old man were in front of the home when they were approached by Garcia, Storment and another man, 28-year-old Jeremy Anthony Romero, according to police. At least one of the them fired at the victims and ran from the scene, police said.
Romero is at large and wanted by Modesto police on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Velasquez died at the hospital, and the 23-year-old was treated and released for a gunshot wound to the leg.
Stella Ann Estrada, 22, also was named in the criminal complaint against the defendants on suspicion of harboring the defendants. Modesto police did not respond to calls seeking comment about Estrada's involvement in the case.
The three incarcerated defendants appeared before Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Thomas Zeff.
Garcia and Estrada were assigned public defenders and pleaded not guilty to their charges.
Storment did not enter a plea, but instead asked Zeff for time to hire an attorney. He has two days to find a lawyer or the court will appoint an attorney to represent him. His arraignment was postponed until an attorney can appear in court with him.
Garcia and Storment's bail remains at $2 million each. Estrada was released on her recognizance.
The judge scheduled the defendants to return to court Friday, when Garcia and Estrada will appear for a pretrial hearing, and Storment will appear for a continued arraignment hearing.
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