Suspect in deputy’s death makes first court appearance

David Machado, who is accused of gunning down Stanislaus County sheriff’s deputy Dennis Wallace, pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

Machado is accused of charges of murder, first-degree robbery, carjacking and being a felon in possession of a gun. He is being held without bail.

The deputy was shot Sunday morning after he spotted a stolen van Sunday near Hughson. Wallace, 53, was a 20-year veteran at the Sheriff’s Department, assigned to Salida, the courthouse and most recently Hughson.

Prosecutors on Tuesday morning filed a criminal complaint against Machado. The murder charge comes with a special circumstance allegation that makes the case eligible for the death penalty. The District Attorney’s Office, however, has not announced publicly whether it will seek the death penalty against Machado. Spokesman John Goold said outside court that prosecutors will announce at a later date whether they will seek death for Machado if convicted.

Two enhancements also have been added to Machado’s murder charge, alleging he acted with premeditation and used a gun to kill Wallace. Machado also is charged with first-degree robbery, carjacking and being a felon in possession of a gun. The defendant also faces enhancements for allegedly using a gun in the thefts.

The criminal complaint indicates Machado was out on bail or had been released on his own recognizance when the deadly shooting occurred. He faces an additional enhancement for this alleged violation. The enhancements could lengthen the defendant’s prison sentence if he is convicted.

Wallace was killed shortly before 8:30 a.m. Sunday at the Fox Grove Fishing Access near Hughson. Wallace was alone, in uniform and driving a marked patrol car, when he spotted the suspicious van. When a dispatcher advised that the van had been reported stolen, Wallace asked for backup. Seconds later, he was shot.

Sheriff Adam Christianson has said evidence showed a gun had been held to Wallace’s head and the trigger pulled twice. He called the deputy’s killing an “execution.”

At 8:40 a.m., a white Kia was carjacked about 8 miles away near Keyes. Machado was identified as the suspect, Christianson said. Authorities issued an alert asking people to look for the car, a Kia Rio. A statewide manhunt ensued.

Nearly four hours later, Machado reportedly tried to rob a woman of her purse near a convenience store in Lindsay, about 150 miles south of Hughson. At 12:33, Christianson said, Lindsay police caught Machado, in an alley and on foot, after the attempted purse-snatching. They didn’t immediately know they’d just nabbed a suspected cop killer, but quickly identified him by photographs and his tattoos.

We will have more on this story later today.

This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 2:10 PM with the headline "Suspect in deputy’s death makes first court appearance."