A gunman who shot a National City man seven times on a street was ordered Aug. 23 to stand trial for murder.
Osvaldo Apolo Lopez, 36, of Spring Valley, is accused of killing Ricardo Sales, 30, on Nov. 14, 2017. The 6:18 p.m. shooting at the intersection of Donax Avenue at Florence Street in Imperial Beach was witnessed by a number of people.
Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sontag heard testimony for 1 1/2 days in a preliminary hearing before ordering Lopez to stand trial for murder. A trial date will be set on Sept. 10.
Sheriff’s detective Christi Ramirez testified that Lopez was upset with Sales as he had been romantically involved with Lopez’s wife of 17 years. Ramirez said Lopez’s wife met Sales on Facebook.
“She tried to break it off several times,” said Ramirez.
Sales lived in National City and was the father of three children, according to his estranged wife who posted a GoFundMe campaign for funeral expenses at the time.
Sheriff’s detective Troy DuGal testified he was present at the autopsy of Sales. DuGal said Sales was shot four times to the head and three times to the torso. The cause of death was multiple gunshots.
DuGal told Sontag that he talked to Lopez’s wife while officials were serving a search warrant on their home days after the shooting. He said Lopez’s wife broke down crying at one point, saying her children would miss Lopez while he is in jail and that he was the sole provider.
Lopez worked as an IT specialist near La Jolla, said his attorney, Peter Blair. Lopez was arrested three days later by detectives and members of the San Diego County Regional Fugitive Task Force in University City.
He has no criminal record and has pleaded not guilty. Blair said Lopez previously volunteered to tutor troubled youths.
Lopez is also charged with personally using a handgun in the crime which carries a penalty of 25 years which could be added to a sentence of murder or manslaughter if he is convicted. He remains in jail on $1 million bail.
