Father and son to face Fresno jury trial on double murder charge, judge rules
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Judge found sufficient evidence to proceed to trial for Gerardo and Leobardo Zurita.
- Victims Stacy Zurita and Raul “Bobby” Nunez were shot July 8, 2022 at about 11:30 p.m. in southeast Fresno.
- Leobardo faces life without parole and may face the death penalty; decision not made.
A Fresno County Superior Court judge ruled Wednesday that there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial for a father and son charged with killing two people, one of whom was an immediate family member.
Gerardo Zurita, 44, and his 23-year-old son, Leobardo Zurita, face charges of first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of Stacy Zurita, 21, and her boyfriend, Raul “Bobby” Nunez, 25.
The couple were killed on July 8, 2022, at about 11:30 p.m. in the area of East Iowa Avenue and North Eighth Street in southeast Fresno.
If convicted, Leobardo Zurita faces life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus the possibility of the death penalty because there were multiple victims and he allegedly shot from a moving car. The decision on whether to pursue the death penalty has not been made.
Gerardo Zurita could be imprisoned for 50-years-to-life if convicted on all charges.
Both Zuritas are scheduled to return to court July 9 for arraignment.
Witnesses testifying during the Zuritas’ preliminary hearing recounted seeing a fight between Nunez and the Zuritas outside the home of Stacy Zurita.
Robert Rubio, one of Nunez’s brothers, was there that night along with two more brothers, his mother and father. They came after Nunez called them to say somebody was after him.
When they arrived, they rushed out of the family’s car toward Nunez. One of the brothers was carrying a baseball bat. It’s unclear who used it and whether either of the Zuritas was hit.
After the fight was over, everyone appeared to accept the outcome, Rubio said. “We like squashed it,” he said. “We said we are cool and we like didn’t have any more problems with them. The fighting had stopped.”
Then the Zuritas got into their car and drove a short distance before making a U-turn. Rubio said he remembers standing in the middle of the street when the Zuritas’ car sped back toward them. As he watched it come closer, he heard multiple gunshots come from the car.
Senior Deputy District Attorney David Olmos asked how many gunshots did Rubio heard. He said he wasn’t sure.
“I don’t exactly remember how many, I just know it was multiple,” Rubio said.
Defense attorneys Margarita Martinez-Baly and Miles Harris tried to show the Zuritas were outnumbered during the fight and fled for their own safety.
The attorney’s also questioned family matriarch Leandra Rubio about the $152,000 the family has received since 2022 for being in the state’s witness protection program. The money pays for rent, food and other expenses.
