Attorney aims to keep Fresno teen, accused of murdering security guard, out of adult court
The murder case against an 18-year-old Fresno man accused of killing a security guard at a Motel 6 in central Fresno last year remains in limbo, as his lawyer has filed an appeal against the decision to prosecute him as an adult.
Adam Isaiah Chavira was 17 when he allegedly murdered 24-year-old Phillip Ray Frusetta on Aug. 24, 2021. Frusetta was a private security guard working at the Motel 6 on Blackstone and East Griffith Way.
Police arrested Chavira about a month after the shooting and charged him with murder, but he remained in the juvenile court system because of his age and his name was not made public, until recently.
Senior Deputy District Attorney David Olmos successfully convinced the juvenile court in May to transfer Chavira to adult court where he will face more serious consequences if found guilty.
But Chavira’s defense weight a decision by the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
Pfaff could not be reached for comment Tuesday and Olmos declined to comment.
Chavira’s scheduled arraignment on Tuesday was continued for a month in hopes the court of appeal will have a decision by then.
In the meantime, Chavira will remain at the Juvenile Justice Campus.
Frusetta had been an employee of Black Python Security for several months before his death.
Police said he was hired to help quell any trouble at the motel. The night of the shooting, he as investigating a report of a disturbance on the second floor of the motel at about 10 p.m.
When he got there, he was confronted by a small group of people, one of whom took out a weapon and fired, striking Frusetta once in the chest, police said.
The group scattered as Frusetta lay there bleeding. He died at the scene, despite life-saving efforts by police.
Frusetta leaves behind a young son, whose mother 22-year-old Mina Serrano was killed in a car crash in 2019.
This story was originally published August 31, 2022 at 8:00 AM.
