Fresno jury acquits man of 1st degree murder in barber shop death. But his case isn’t over
A Fresno County jury has found Luis Daniel Lopez not guilty of first-degree murder in the May 2021 stabbing death of 23-year-old Alex Solorio inside a northwest Fresno barber shop.
But the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on a second degree murder charge against the 31-year-old Lopez. Prosecutors, however, can retry Lopez on that charge.
Had he been found guilty of first-degree murder he could have received a maximum sentence of 26-years-to-life.
Defense attorney Antonio Alvarez said his client feels “partially vindicated’ by the verdict, which was announced at about 4 p.m. Wednesday. The jury began deliberating Monday afternoon.
“He (Lopez) is still facing second degree murder so we are going to see if a compromise can be reached,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez believes the jury understood that this was not a cold-blooded crime, but one of self-defense.
Argument led to fight
Solorio of Stratford and Lopez were both barbers at Colima’s Fade Shop, in the 6700 block of North Blackstone Avenue, near Herndon Avenue. Alvarez said the two men got into an argument after the business had closed.
“They were just hanging out after hours, drinking, when things escalated,” Alvarez said.
During a physical fight, Lopez stabbed Solorio with a folding knife and then left the scene. Lopez and an accomplice, Ryan Guerra, 25, came back several hours later and moved the body to the bathroom, Alvarez said. That is where his body was found by an employee on May 30, 2021.
Prosecutor Tim Galstan said the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has several options, including retrying the second-degree murder charge. Galstan said Lopez pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter is also a possibility.
Galstan said seven members of the jury voted guilty for second-degree murder, four for voluntary manslaughter and one juror was undecided. “To me that is seven to five and no one was at full acquittal, “ Galstan said.
The prosecutor also spoke with the victim’s family to explain the situation and what may happen next.
A status hearing has been set for March 4 in Dept. 70 with Judge Gary Orozco.
This story was originally published February 16, 2022 at 6:39 PM.
