Arraignment postponed for Turlock homeowner accused of murder

A Turlock homeowner who authorities say shot to death a man trespassing on his property will have to remain in jail, at least until next month.

Robin Duane Boyer, 60, made his first courtroom appearance Monday after he was arrested Friday on suspicion of murder in the 2013 shooting of 25-year-old Brandon Pacheco.

Boyer entered the courtroom wearing a red-and-white jail inmate jumpsuit and shackles on his wrists and ankles. He did not enter a plea on Monday afternoon.

Matthew Horeczko, Boyer’s attorney, asked the judge to postpone the arraignment until next month. Horeczko’s website indicates that the Southern California-based defense attorney handles a variety of cases, including murder cases and trespassing charges.

Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Ricardo Córdova postponed Boyer’s arraignment until April 13. The judge said court policy dictates that Boyer must remain in custody at the county jail without bail, at least until he is arraigned. Once the defendant is arraigned, the defense attorney can ask the court to set a bail amount.

Boyer’s family attended Monday’s brief hearing and declined to comment. Horeczko also declined to comment about the criminal case.

Boyer’s supporters have created an online campaign to raise money for his legal defense. As of Monday, $525 had been donated. The campaign’s goal is $20,000.

Pacheco was found dead on the edge of a Turlock sweet potato field shortly before 8 a.m. July 23, 2013. Police have said he had been shot in the head.

The shooting occurred in the 1100 block of Dianne Drive, a rural area just west of Highway 99 and south of Fulkerth Road.

Boyer told investigators he caught Pacheco trespassing on his property and stealing his possessions. Authorities said an altercation broke out and Boyer shot Pacheco in the head. Boyer also told police he had seen Pacheco trespass on private property on several occasions before the shooting.

Pacheco’s family has told The Modesto Bee it did not know why the young man was in that area, and the family does not know Boyer. The family said Pacheco, who attended Hilmar High School, worked on and off for his father’s construction firm and never would have hurt anyone. Pacheco’s family did not attend Monday’s hearing.

Police investigators submitted their investigation to the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. More than a year and a half later, prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against Boyer.

The defendant was arrested during a traffic stop Friday morning in Turlock. He was taken into custody without incident.

Once he is arraigned, the attorneys and the court will decide when it’s appropriate to schedule a preliminary hearing to determine whether there’s sufficient evidence for Boyer to stand trial.

This story was originally published March 9, 2015 at 5:33 PM with the headline "Arraignment postponed for Turlock homeowner accused of murder."