Opinion ID: 3189192
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Events before the murders

Text: On September 23, 1995, about two weeks before Uribe‟s murder, he and Martha Melgoza, the mother of his daughter, attended a baptism party at a Madera reception hall. They saw Little Pete arguing with Carlos Romero and David Varela. Uribe was good friends with both Little Pete and Varela. Jesse Candia, Varela‟s uncle, suggested Little Pete and Varela “fight and get it over with,” but Varela refused, explaining Little Pete had a gun. Candia and Romero told Little Pete to leave the party, and Romero punched Little Pete in the face. Little Pete looked at Uribe and asked him, “[W]hat‟s up?” and “Juan, why don‟t you back me up?” Juan shook his head and said, “No” and “It was none of my business.” Little Pete left in his BMW. 1 At trial, the parties and witnesses referred to defendant as “Big Pete” and to his son as “Little Pete.” 2 Diaz testified before the jury that he pled guilty to violating Penal Code section 32 or accessory after the fact. He had not yet been sentenced but understood it was possible he would serve either prison time or time on probation and was required to tell the truth. 2 Little Pete told Richard Diaz he was upset with Uribe for not backing him up and wanted to get even. Little Pete, Diaz, and Florentino (Tino) Alvarez slowly drove by the baptism party in Little Pete‟s BMW but did not stop. Diaz described how “everybody started running” and “they shut the front doors.” Melgoza and Uribe left the party later that evening. As they drove, they were stopped by Little Pete and Tino Alvarez. When Uribe got out of the car to see what the men wanted, Alvarez asked him why he had hit Little Pete. Uribe denied hitting Little Pete, and said Little Pete should know who hit him. Alvarez punched Uribe. Later that night, Varela was driving a friend home from the baptism party when he saw Uribe, Romero, and several others standing on the street. Little Pete drove by in his BMW with Diaz in the front seat. Several shots were fired out of the passenger side of the BMW. As Varela drove away, more shots were fired. He noticed Little Pete‟s BMW behind him. A bullet grazed Little Pete‟s head. On September 24, 1995, Jesse Rangel, defendant‟s nephew, who was living in Fresno, learned that his cousin Little Pete had been shot. Jesse3 visited Little Pete in Madera. Tino Alvarez told Jesse that Juan Uribe had shot Little Pete. In retaliation, Jesse and Alvarez fired several bullets into Uribe‟s car. Jesse did not see Uribe or anyone else in the area, and there had been no discussion of shooting Uribe if they saw him. At trial, Jesse denied ever shooting at Uribe.