Murder trial ordered for Fresno man accused of using sawed-off shotgun to shoot man in face
A 29-year-old Fresno man accused by police of using a sawed-off shotgun to blast another man in the face after an argument will be put on trial for murder, a Fresno County Superior Court judge ruled Wednesday.
At a preliminary hearing, detectives and witnesses testified that defendant Andrew Condee of Fresno used the illegal shotgun to confront 27-year-old Christian Juarez on March 6, 2021, while the two were inside an apartment in the 1200 block of North Recreation Avenue in Fresno.
Andrew Condee, his brother Anthony Condee and their father Adam Condee were staying temporarily at the apartment that was rented by friends Cathy and Greg Drysdale.
On the day of the shooting, Anthony Condee testified that his brother and his father, who was taking a nap on a sofa in the living room, became upset with Juarez for barging into the Drysdales’ second-floor apartment, demanding some marijuana.
Juarez also lived in the complex and knew the Drysdales. He told them he was upset over the death of a friend and wanted to get high, said Anthony Condee.
Anthony Condee alleges Juarez threatened his father, who told him to shut up.
At some point, Andrew Condee emerged out of a bedroom carrying the shotgun. He stepped toward Juarez, who backed up. After that, the shotgun was fired, striking Juarez in the face. The force of the blast caused Juarez’s head to be blown apart, said Fresno police officer Michaele Zwolenski, one of the first to arrive to the homicide scene.
When asked by Senior Deputy District Attorney David Olmos if he saw his brother shoot Juarez, Anthony Condee said he did not. Andrew Condee is defended by Richard A. Beshwate Jr.
“My first instinct was to just get the hell out of there,” Anthony Condee said.
Juarez’s mother, Maria Ortiz Garcia, testified that her son had a troubled life. He suffered a severe brain injury when he was 18 and he was also diagnosed with mental illness, including schizophrenia. She knew he smoked marijuana but she didn’t know where he would buy it.
Garcia also was familiar with the Drysdales and knew her son would sometimes spend time in their apartment.
On the night of the shooting, Juarez was feeling depressed and told his mother he was going out to the store. It was about 9 p.m. and Garcia said she urged him to stay home because it was getting late.
“I told him I was going to lock the door in 10 minutes if he wasn’t back,” she testified through tears. “He told me to give him 15 minutes.”
Then she heard the sirens of the police and paramedics as they started to draw closer. In a panic, she began calling him, but got no answer.
She didn’t realize he was still in the apartment complex.
“I thought he might have heard a gunshot and might have run away because he got scared,” she testified.
Police would soon find her to confirm the dead man was her son.
Anthony Condee’s next court appearance is Sept. 7 in Dept. 32 for a held to answer arraignment.
