A judge has ordered a man to stand trial for murder in the 2016 slaying of San Diego Police officer Jonathan “J.D.” De Guzman who lived in Chula Vista.
The preliminary hearing of Jesse Michael Gomez, 58, was estimated to last a week, but it ended after three days of testimony on June 19.
The Eastlake post office was named in De Guzman’s memory in a ceremony at 830 Kuhn Drive in 2017. His name was engraved on a police officers’ memorial in Chula Vista, and the 43-year-old had been an officer for 16 years.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Fred Link conducted the hearing and will also be the trial judge. An arraignment is set for July 10 to schedule when that trial is expected to start which could be in 2020.
District Attorney Summer Stephan announced in 2018 her office will seek the death penalty if Gomez is convicted. Gomez is charged with the special circumstance of killing an officer during the performance of his duties.
He was also ordered to stand trial for attempted murder of officer Wade Irwin who was wounded in the neck after he stepped outside the police vehicle and asked Gomez if he lived in the area.
Irwin identified Gomez as the gunman who fired at him and De Guzman after he quickly turned around and fired multiple rounds without saying a word. Irwin said before he stopped him, Gomez kept looking at the patrol car shortly before 11 p.m. on Acacia Grove Way in Southeast San Diego.
Irwin shot Gomez once in response and he was found lying in some brush not far from the scene.
Gomez has pleaded not guilty to all charges and remains in jail without bail.
