Here’s when the murder trial begins for man accused of killing sheriff’s deputy
A judge has scheduled a trial for the man accused of murder in the shooting of Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Deputy Dennis Wallace, who was killed after he spotted a stolen vehicle near Hughson.
Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Thomas Zeff scheduled the murder trial to begin June 29 for David Machado, who is accused of gunning down Wallace three years ago.
Wallace was fatally shot shortly before 8:30 a.m. Nov. 13, 2016, at Fox Grove Fishing Access near Hughson. While on patrol, the deputy had come across a white Dodge Caravan that Machado’s mother had reported stolen six days before.
When a backup deputy arrived, he found Wallace on the ground outside his car. At Machado’s preliminary hearing last month, a forensic pathologist testified that Wallace suffered two gunshot wounds, one in the face and one in the neck.
Machado also faces charges of carjacking, attempted carjacking and being a felon in possession of a gun. Authorities say Machado stole a car, prompting a statewide manhunt, before he was found in Tulare County about four hours after the shooting.
Machado’s mother has testified that her son’s wife of 14 years had left him, taking their two children with her. The mother said in court that her son had been extremely depressed, paranoid and delusional for a long time.
She also said she warned deputies that her son might be trying to commit suicide-by-cop. That warning was given six days before the fatal shooting, when she reported her son had taken her van, the same van Wallace found near Hughson.
The defendant remains in custody at the Stanislaus County Jail. Zeff ordered Machado to return to court Jan. 21 for a pretrial hearing.
The murder charge includes a special circumstances allegation for the killing of a sheriff’s deputy who was on duty. Prosecutor John R. Mayne has said that the allegation — if Machado is convicted — could result in a maximum sentence of life in prison without the chance of parole.
The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office in October informed the court that it would not be seeking the death penalty against Machado.
This story was originally published December 4, 2019 at 12:10 PM.