Arraignment postponed in west Modesto shooting

Two defendants made their first appearance in court Tuesday since they were arrested over the weekend in connection with a fatal shooting in west Modesto.

Jacob Silva and Maira Vasquez, both 18-year-old Hayward residents, are accused of being involved in the death of 29-year-old Joseph Carl Levi Wyse.

The shooting was reported shortly before 1 a.m. Nov. 4. Stanislaus County sheriff’s deputies were called to the 600 block of Marshall Avenue, where they found Wyse dead.

Silva is charged with murder and robbery, and Vasquez is charged with being an accessory.

Anthony Centeno, 44, of Modesto is the third defendant charged in Wyse’s death. Centeno is charged with murder and robbery.

The charges against Silva and Centeno include a special-circumstances allegation, which makes the case eligible for the death penalty. The District Attorney’s Office has not said whether it will seek the death penalty against Silva and Centeno.

Stanislaus Superior Judge Thomas Zeff on Tuesday postponed the arraignment for Silva and Vasquez until Nov. 25. Centeno also is scheduled to return Nov. 25 for his continued arraignment hearing.

The court has ordered that Silva and Centeno remain in custody without bail.

Deputy District Attorney John Baker asked the judge to keep Vasquez in custody without bail.

The prosecutor argued that Vasquez was in the car and knew a murder would occur. He also said she was at the crime scene and lied to investigators about Silva’s whereabouts.

Zeff set Vasquez’s bail amount at $50,000, twice the typical amount for a felony accessory charge.

This story was originally published November 18, 2014 at 2:51 PM with the headline "Arraignment postponed in west Modesto shooting."