He stabbed a man he believed raped his wife, prosecutors say. He got a deal, prison

A 27-year-old Modesto man will be sentenced to 16 years to life in prison for stabbing someone he believed had raped his wife several years earlier.

Michael Christopher Suarez on Thursday pleaded no contest to second-degree murder for the stabbing death of Steven Monkhouse, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release.

Monkhouse, a 55-year-old parolee, was found dead in a vehicle in a field near Tioga and Legion Park drives on April 9, 2017. A Modesto police sergeant patrolling the area about 11:15 p.m. found the vehicle and discovered Monkhouse’s body inside.

Prosecutors said Suarez stabbed Monkhouse 32 times and left his body in the victim’s car at Legion Park in Modesto’s airport neighborhood.

The homicide investigation uncovered evidence that Suarez was at the park around the time Monkhouse was killed. Nine days after police found Monkhouse’s body, Suarez was found in downtown Modesto and arrested on suspicion of murder.

Suarez believed Monkhouse had raped Suarez’s wife, prosecutors said, and Suarez told his wife that he was going to “take care” of Monkhouse. It’s unclear whether Monkhouse was ever identified as a suspect in the alleged rape.

Suarez’s trial was scheduled to begin July 9, but it was canceled after Suarez pleaded no contest last week. As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, Suarez waived his right to appeal, and he waived two years, two months and nine days of custody credits he had earned while awaiting trial in the Stanislaus County Jail.

Suarez’s conviction included an enhancement for using a deadly weapon — a knife. The conviction is considered a strike under state’s “Three Strikes” law, which could be used to double a prison sentence if Suarez is convicted of another felony. Deputy District Attorney Barry Shapiro prosecuted the case.

Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Ricardo Córdova will formally sentence Suarez on Aug. 16, when Monkhouse’s family or friends can speak in court about the impact of his death. On Monday, Suarez remained in custody at the jail awaiting his sentencing next month.

This story was originally published July 1, 2019 at 1:44 PM.