Accused murderer in court

MODESTO -- A 33-year-old Ceres man accused of murder in the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy last year in south Modesto appeared briefly in court Thursday morning. Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Linda McFadden scheduled defendant Saul Hernandez to return to court Dec. 14 to schedule his trial.

Hernandez has been ordered to stand trial charged with murder and negligent discharge of a firearm in the death of Alberto Beraza. The shooting occurred shortly after 5 p.m. Aug. 22, 2011, in front of Boomers Car Audio on Crows Landing Road. A description of a white Audi and a partial license plate number led authorities to an Audi registered to Hernandez. Ceres police have said Hernandez's Audi was found with what appeared to be blood on the car's exterior. Later that night, Hernandez turned himself in at the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department.