A preliminary hearing has been set for Wednesday, April 28, in a 2007 murder case in which the victim, while at a South Bay party, made a rude remark about the defendant’s wife that cost him his life.
Oscar Israel Sarabia, 34, is charged with the Oct. 14, 2007, murder of Mariano Alvarez, 32, that occurred at a party at a relative’s house near Paradise Hills Road east of National City with longtime high school friends.
Alvarez apparently flirted with Laura Sarabia, the defendant’s wife, and made inappropriate comments. He was told to leave the party.
Alvarez put his arm around Sarabia’s wife and in Spanish told Sarabia, “You have a good piece of meat at your house,” according to an arrest warrant declaration filed in San Diego Superior Court.
This comment apparently enraged Sarabia, who went outside with Alvarez and allegedly stabbed him to death. Sarabia fled to Mexico.
Sarabia was arrested in mid-December of 2009 by the Baja California State Preventive Police near Ensenada. He was displayed to reporters in Tijuana the next day. He was extradited to San Diego Police on Dec. 22.
Sarabia worked at a construction company for seven to eight years and lived in El Cajon. Court records say he called his supervisor and told him he fled to Mexico after the incident. Sarabia has pleaded not guilty and remains at the George Bailey Detention Facility on $1 million bail.
