Martinez stabbing suspect was released from jail day before killing
Suspect arrested in fatal stabbing of 68-year-old Martinez man
Martinez police arrested a 36-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing 68-year-old Todd Stewart outside his home, after investigators used license plate recognition technology and tips from the community to track down the suspect.
MARTINEZ, Calif. - The man accused of fatally stabbing a 68-year-old Martinez man on his front lawn had been released from jail the day before the killing, authorities said.
Marcos Iriarte-Valdez, 36, was arrested Friday evening in connection with the stabbing death of Todd Stewart, according to police.
Iriarte-Valdez was arrested at his home in the 1600 block of Ashwood Drive on suspicion of murder.
Authorities have not identified any known connection between Iriarte-Valdez and Stewart.
Arrested, then released before stabbing
Police said Iriarte-Valdez was on pretrial release in connection with residential burglaries that occurred April 29 in Orinda.
He was arrested Tuesday for allegedly violating the terms of his home detention monitoring as it pertains to the Orinda case, police said. The following day, Wednesday, he was released on his own recognizance and referred back to home detention monitoring.
The fatal stabbing occurred Thursday.
Martinez Police Chief Andrew White said it appeared Iriarte-Valdez did not have his home detention monitoring equipment placed on him until Friday, the day after the homicide.
Iriarte-Valdez is being held on $1.1 million bail.
Featured
Suspect arrested in fatal stabbing of 68-year-old man in Martinez
Police on Friday night arrested a suspect in connection to a fatal stabbing that left a man dead, Martinez Chief of Police Andrew White announced Friday evening.
Deadly attack outside Martinez home
Surveillance video captured the deadly encounter outside Stewart's home on Francis Court, including his frantic screams as he was attacked.
Stewart was stabbed multiple times just steps from his front door.
Neighbors said he had been working on a project in his garage before the attack.
He died at the scene.
Surveillance video captures Martinez fatal stabbing
Surveillance video captured the moments a suspect fatally stabbed 68-year-old Todd Stewart in Martinez on Thursday.
"I'm still processing because I still expect to see him over the fence," neighbor Galina Pasternak said. "It's nowhere as bad as his family, because they lost their father, his wife lost her husband. They finally were spending more time together because they were retired. They were traveling."
Investigators said they were able to quickly piece together information that led them to a suspect.
"Through using automated license plate recognition technology, we were able to locate what ultimately became that vehicle and understand kind of where it had been," White said. "Simultaneously, we were receiving tips from the community from people who recognized the vehicle."
Officers ultimately tracked Iriarte-Valdez to his apartment complex, where he was taken into custody without incident.
Featured
Woman killed in hit-and-run outside Oakland church, near police substation
Oakland police are investigating a deadly hit-and-run crash near 73rd and Garfield avenues, directly in front of Mt. Tabor Baptist Church, across the street from the Oakland Police Department Eastmont Substation.
Neighbor says suspect's vehicle was there before attack
Pasternak said Stewart's wife noticed the suspect's vehicle outside their home before the attack.
"She seen him sitting in a car, and she thought, like, maybe he's visiting," Pasternak said. "Maybe he's waiting, and she saw him there like some time before, an hour before. So he's been there for a while."
Pasternak said she was relieved an arrest had been made but questioned why Iriarte-Valdez had been released from custody.
"I'm glad they arrested him, but it won't bring Todd back," she said. "I wish they did not release him."
The Source: This story was written based on information from the Antioch Police Department along with previous reporting.