Nogales international., 1947-02-07
Frank Godinez And Mario Fontes
Bound Over To Superior Court
For Trial On Manslaughter Charge

|
Peace Charles E. Hardy at the
cOnclusOn of their preliminary
hearing Tuesday.
The pair, and Willie Godinez, 16;
and Peter Mankel, IT; face a man
slaughter charge as a result of the
death of Percy Gregory, 46, whose
body was found near the Nogales
Golf Course. Willie Godinez and
Mankel on Tuesday were turned
over to juvenile authorities on re-
commendation of County Attorney
Ruffo Espinosa.
Discovery of Gregory's body was
made by Sgt. G. A. Reed, U. S. Army,
retired. Gregory had been missing
for several days after he had escaped
from ST. Joseph's Hospital where he
was taken for treatment for head
burns suffered, he claimed, at
Chapo's Service Station & Garage
on Grand avenue, where Frank Co
dinez and Mario Fontes, high school
student and ex-football player, were
employed.
First Witness
First witness at Tuesdays prelim-
mary hearing was Arnold Arvizu,
former policeman now employed at
the O'NIalley Lumber Company. He
told of observing Gregory's condi-
ton at the police station on January
%.
Theodore SCOOTER, Nogales po-
liceman, said he picked up Gregory
on the 22nd of January. "He was
very SICK" SCOOTER said, land only
his eyes, nose and mouth were
showing as his head was swathed in
bandages. His lips were severely
burned, his left eye completely
closed and his right eye partially
burned" SCOOTER stated before the
small, packed court room. "At the
station Gregory said the one-armed
boy at Chapo's had thrown some
thing on him."
Upon this description, Chief ]. M.
Soto, Jr., had Frank Godinez picked
up. He was apprehended by SCOOTER
and Godinez asked the officer,
What do they want me for?'
At the station through his severely
swollen lips Gregory pointed at Co
dinez and said, That's the boy that
did it." Godinez said he had done
nothing to harm Percy but that
when he came to the station burned
IT only doctored his face" Chief
Soto then booked him in the county
Jail.
SCOOTER went on with his testimony
to say he took Gregory to the hospi
tai January 23rd, and Gregory was
Every, very sick and had to be car
ried to the car"
SOtO'S Testimony
Chief Soto was the next witness
to the stand. He said Gregory had
accused the one-armed boy as the
one who did it and one of the twins
(meaning the Mankels), the one
armed boys little brother (Wfllie
Godinez), and a tall guy (Mario
Fontes).
ct then talked to Frank Godinez
and told him this was serious
charge and the best thing was to
tell me the truth. He didn't know
anything except that he had treated
Gregory for his burns said Soto.
"I talked to Fontes the same
evening as I had had him picked up.
told him I had known him quite
awhile and had never had any
trouble with him before. He said he
would tell me the truth and went
on to say he was cleaning something
and sent Willie (Godinez) to get
him cup of gas. Percy had come
in about nine and was helping Fon-
tes sweep Frank, Willie and the
twins were there and were smoking.
AS Willie went by Percy someone
struck his elbow and the next thing
he knew, Percy was afire He put
the flames out and took him home.
'FonteS sWore that was the truth
but I locked him up. Later he called
to me and said he had tried to pro-
tect the other but now he wanted to
tell the truth. He said while he was
cleaning with the gasoline Frank,
Willie and the twins were trying tc
light Percy's straw hat. When h
sent Willie to get the gas Will
poured it on Percy's head and the
he saw flame. He said he wa
sorry he hadn't told me the truth tc
start with
Chief Soto added: 'I then had
Gregory hospitalized. Friday even
ing I got a report from the hospital
| that he was out of his head and was
trying to leave there. called Doctor
Harker, Gregory's physician, and
had Patrolman Chamberlain invest
!, gate. Saturday morning it was re-
, ported from the hospital to the po-
} lice that Gregory was gone. I start
ed search for him immediately
Reed Finds Body
Sgt. G.. A. Reed, retired, was next