A man suspected of killing Ricardo Sales of National City had his March 27 preliminary hearing confirmed after getting a new attorney on Jan. 11.
Sales, 30, was shot to death Nov. 14, 2017 near the Imperial Beach Plaza shopping center at 6:18 p.m. near the intersection of Donax Avenue and Florence Street in Imperial Beach. The National City resident was the father of two children.
Osvaldo Apolo Lopez, 35, of Spring Valley, was arrested Nov. 17 by sheriff’s detectives in the 9000 block of Towne Center Drive in San Diego. He has pleaded not guilty to murder in Chula Vista Superior Court. He is also charged with personally using a firearm in the crime, which is an allegation that adds 25 years to a potential sentence.
On Monday, his new attorney, Peter Blair, said he is waiting to receive reports on the case and was not able to comment. Neither Blair or the prosecutor have not said whether Lopez was acquainted with Sales.
The shooting took place in front of multiple witnesses, according to the sheriff’s department. The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office said Sales died from multiple gunshot wounds. The prosecutor said the facts about the homicide have not been detailed in court yet.
Lopez remains in jail on $1 million bail.
